Hanging Out With Jesus, My BFF

"True love is finding your soulmate in your best friend."

- Faye Hall

     Last week, I was blessed enough to spend five days with some amazing girls from IU, our Campus Minister, our Chaplain and about 125 students and CMs from various other colleges all over the USA. I went into the week already overwhelmed by the fact that this was one of three weeks of Summer I had left. Part of me wanted to be home with my little sisters doing summery type things like going to the beach and getting tan, but I knew, just as I always say, I was exactly where God needed me to be at that very moment in time. And so, I unpacked knowing that this was where God needed me but unsure as to why. 

     We eventually all piled into the auditorium at Marymount University in Arlington, VA for our opening session. I sat in slightly bitter about not being home with my Sisters or soaking up the sun. I suddenly became a shy little Becca when it came to making new friends and was not about talking to new people. All I wanted at that moment was to get in a bed and sleep. But we had a long night ahead of us and lots of new friends to make. I got comfortable in my auditorium seating and pulled out my notebook, you know, if I just casually wanted to make note of something. Oh who was I kidding? I always have been and always will be the perpetual student who loves learning. I had more notes on my paper than I think our speaker had on hers. Trust me, I was bursting with energy from the moment she started. Instantly my attitude changed. Why? Well, because Sister Grace Dominic was giving a talk on Connection with Christ. Yep. Instantly, my who attitude about the whole week changed. 

     Sister Grace Dominic immediately caught my attention with her stories of little four-year old nephews. It was quite amusing, especially after having attended Mass that morning with my God-daughter to hear her sing the entire Mass "YAH YAH YAH YAH YAH YAH." Yeah...she definitely is a product of my God-mothering already. I love little kids in Mass because they always give beautiful insight to what our celebration really is. Sister had me sold. She is, by far, one of the most precious Sisters I have ever met. She has a beautifully sweet speaking voice, a lovely charism and a precious personality. I know that may seem like nothing new to my dear friends, but what is new is that she was part of a community I never really got to know: The Sisters of Life. Miss Greene would be so proud. Needless to say, I held onto her every word.

     That night I went to bed really reflecting on the things Sister had told us. And as I reflected on the many things that spoke to my heart, I had one idea in particular really singing to my soul: a best friendship with Jesus. I love metaphors, as you may or may not know, and anything that really applies to my life sparks my attention. This idea of best friendship immediately stuck to me like glue. And here's why:

     When Sister began speaking of best friendship, I thought of my little sister, Mary and her best friend, Julia. Having gone to all of grade school together and then splitting up for high school, they have remained best friends through and through. They weren't best friends at first, but as they got older and wiser, they immediately found a kinship between the two of them. They became almost inseparable. Now, after knowing each other for almost 12 years, they are even closer. As the oldest, I have become the taxi driver and big sister for both. Almost every night I am home during the summer (and any other time), I am driving one of them to the other's house. Every other night one is sleeping on the other's floor, although my Sister has her own bed now at Julia's house. They go on vacation with each other's family, they do almost everything together, they have a system down. They are so good at being best friend's it;s actually scary sometimes. Okay. One may be thinking: don't they get sick of each other? I mean, I get sick of them sometimes. And they do. They have one day a week where they don't see each other. They get mad at each other, they call each other out own their emotions, they give each other grief. I mean, isn't that what it should be?

      I have to laugh when I think about my sister's best friend and my best friend, Mary Kate. I think back to high school and yes, we were inseparable. We did everything together, and if we didn't we always consulted the other first. But now that we are in college, we have learned that best friends doesn't mean doing everything together, but that we can move on to separate things and still be the best of friends. Often, I find myself visiting her family, calling her mom, at the most random and perhaps inopportune times. I can call her up and tell her I am outside in my car waiting for her and she'll come out with me. I can walk through her front door without having to knock. I can not talk to her for days and weeks and yet, I know she's always there for me. Now that we are older, we have essentially taken on the persona of two older ladies who sip whatever it is we feel like sipping on the front porch thinking about life. We are, essentially an older version of Mary and Julia. Look out girls.

     As I was thinking about our best friends and laughing to myself at all our funny fine moments, I began to adapt it to my relationship with Jesus, which, praise God, is a best friendship. However, for many this is not true. Think about your best friend. Who is it? How do they perform BFF duties? Where would you be without them?! For me, a best friendship with Jesus is literally spending every moment possible I can with Him, whether it's at His house for a meal (the Mass), His house for family time (adoration and prayer), walking in the park on a date (literally walking in the park) or doing service opportunities with Him. Just like I consult my best friend about almost everything in life, I always pray about it with Jesus first. He always gets first consultation. And just like all best friends, we are comfortable with each other enough to tell each other when we are frustrated. Often Jesus tells me that I need some confession time and there are times when I let Jesus have it with my flustered words. Like seriously Jesus, why did You have to let this happen?! You are such a drama queen. Just like real best friends, we hang out all the time. 

     Then I began to think about the one time Julia had to have severe back surgery. She was scared, frightened and cried a good amount. All of us at church were praying for her, but still she experienced very human emotions when it comes to having surgery, especially for a young teen. After surgery, she couldn't do a lot of things for a very long time. She couldn't run or do anything really active. She had to sit in a certain position and do all kinds of things that made her stand out in the crowd. She was immediately different and could have easily been ridiculed for being so. However, like a real true best friend, Mary stood by her every moment. She visited her in the hospital, helped her adjust to life with a new back and even stood up for her many times. This meant that all the things Julia couldn't do, Mary didn't do. She literally suffered through it right next to Julia. She was there through all the hardships which proved that she wasn't Julia's best friend because it just happened to be convenient for her. Nope. She was a true BFF through and through.

      So many times we proclaim ourselves best friends with Jesus. It's all great while He's performing miracles and gaining followers, because hey, more friends for us. We'll go out to eat with Him while He's multiplying loaves and fishes, we'll take a ride in His boat, we'll give up all our time for Him because we're going on an adventure. Yeah, sure no problem. Being best friends with Jesus is easy. Until He gets to the garden and we can't stay up with Him because well, I'm too tired, Jesus. Being best friends with Jesus is easy until He gets condemned and scourged at the pillar and we're embarrassed that He might be a criminal and we don't want to get arrested for association. Being friends with Jesus is easy until He has to walk the way of Calvary and we can't because, well, we might get blisters or something. And being best friends with Jesus is easy until He is hanging on the cross. No, we can't be there for that. Definitely not, no, because well, that's just too painful to watch.

     So many times we say we are best friends with Jesus and yet, we deny Him at the times when our best friend needs us the most. We aren't there for Him when things get rough. We aren't there when things are painful. Why? Because it's not convenient for us. But remember Mary and Julia. They have literally done everything together, including the painful suffering of Julia's back surgery. They have literally been there for each other through everything. Imagine if suddenly Jesus decided He didn't want to be our best friend anymore? Because it just didn't seem convenient enough? We'd sure be stuck in a rut then, now wouldn't we? But no, Jesus continues to be there for us through and through. As for us, we need to step it up a bit. If we really want to be best friends with Jesus, we need to suffer with Him through the cross. If we want to be best friends with Jesus, we need to hang out with Him all the time...and that means hanging with Him on the cross. You wouldn't want your best friend to suffer alone, now would you?