442nd Meditation
“You are my friend and confidant” (Inner Word).
In the Message to Mother Eugenia Ravasio, the Father offers Himself to us as a friend and confidant, and makes us understand that this is how we will reach the fullness of love: when we have learned to love Him as He desires, “that is, not only as a Father, but as a friend and confidant”.
If we accept this invitation, a very loving and intimate relationship with our Father will emerge. If this love becomes fruitful and lasting, if we demonstrate our faithfulness and perseverance along the way, then surely the aforementioned offer of our Father will become a reality: we will become friends and confidants of the Father, just as Jesus called His disciples “friends” (Jn 15:15).
When this happens, we enter a new stage in our relationship with our Father. We will no longer just be His children for whom He cares (although we will never cease to be His children), but He will also make us co-workers in His plan of salvation.
To be called “friends” and “confidants” touches us more than the term “co-workers” could. It is an immense honour which at the same time calls for a deep responsibility of love on our part. Indeed, who would want to disappoint his divine friend and confidant in the least? It would be unthinkable!
And yet we human beings are so weak. Therefore, we too could cry out like Peter: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Lk 5:8). Or we could simply consider ourselves incapable of responding to such trust.
But if we react in this way, it is because we are still too focused on ourselves. When God calls and addresses us in this way, He knows why. This reminds us of the Lord’s words to His disciples: “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16).
Let us thank the Father for the trust He places in us, and let us rely on His grace to serve Him as friends and confidants.