I guess that today’s reflection came out of a place where we have now been in Bahrain for a full month and, although the people are incredibly warm and welcoming I am missing my close friends and family. This was, ironically, the moment I was led to a wonderful moment of reflection.

When last did you stop at a single verse of Scripture and say to yourself, “that is incredible Rob!!” and then asked yourself “have I really understood the depth of the meaning of that verse for me and my everyday life?” Well, I did just that when I almost skipped over this incredible verse again:-

The Apostle John records these words of Jesus:- “I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15

Early Celtic Christians spoke of the Anam-Cara—the soul friend—someone who shares your spiritual journey, listens with compassion, and helps you see the presence of God in your own life. When we look at the Gospels through this lens, we discover that Jesus himself lived within a circle of deep, sacred friendships.

He was not a solitary wanderer; he walked in companionship. He confided in others.
He let people draw near to his heart.

Peter, James, and John journeyed with him in moments of glory and anguish—from the Mount of Transfiguration to the shadows of Gethsemane. The beloved disciple, believed to be John, drew so close that he leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper, a sign of intimate trust. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus offered a home of warmth and rest where Jesus was known, loved, and welcomed as family. Mary Magdalene, faithful and courageous, stayed near him at the cross and was the first to hear the risen Lord speak her name.

These were people who shared Jesus’ joys and sorrows, who listened to him, learned from him, and walked beside him. They reveal something essential about the heart of Christ: he desires friendship with his people.

My thoughts took me on a journey and I took one step further. Even though Jesus had soul friends, he is also the Soul Friend—the one who knows us fully and loves us completely.

John O’Donahue, an author I highly respect, puts it this way: “Jesus, as the son of God, is the first Other in the universe; he is the secret soul friend of every individual. In friendship with him we enter the tender beauty and affection of the Trinity. In the embrace of this eternal friendship, we dare to be free.” Don’t you love that?

In Jesus, I find a friend who is a companion who walks with me through both light and shadow, a confidant who receives my wounds and worries, a guide who leads me toward truth and a friend who calls me(?) “beloved.”

Stop and reflect for a moment on a searching question:- When last did you quieten down and calm down and turn to your very best friend, Jesus who is walking beside you all the time. Can you, also, sometimes hear him whispering to you in the stillness of those moments”. What about going for a walk , or sitting in a park, or lounging on the rocks at the beach – to just spend a few minutes – or hours – with the best friend you could ever have – Jesus!

Jesus’ friendship is a gift offered anew every day, a companionship that never breaks, never abandons, and never grows weary.