” ““Without the living subject of the Church which encompasses the ages, the Bible crumples up into inconsistent writings and thus becomes a book of the past”. This was said by the Pope, as he elaborated on the subject of “Jesus’ friendship”, the focus of the sermon of Chrismal Mass of Maundy Thursday. “Jesus’ friendship explained the Holy Father as he referred to the establishment of priesthood is the epitome of friendship with all of His. We can be Jesus’ friends only in communion with the whole of Jesus, with the head and the body; in the lush vine of the Church enlivened by its Lord. Only in it are the Holy Writs, thanks to God, a live and current Word”.
“I no longer call you servants, but friends”: in these words from John’s Gospel (Gv 15,15), quoted several times during the sermon, “one could even see the establishment of priesthood. This is the deep meaning of being a priest: being a friend of Jesus Christ’s. The core of priesthood lies in being friends of Jesus Christ’s. Being Jesus’ friend, being a priest means being a man of prayer”.
