Sometimes you lose friends because of your behavior, something you may have said or did, and it doesn’t have to be negative. There may be times because of your lifestyle or beliefs have changed.
Now in one sense Jesus didn’t do anything that would have justified people leaving, after all he was Jesus. He was offering them eternal life. Who wouldn’t want that? He was also asking them to give up some of their behaviors. He was telling them they would be persecuted. He wanted them to forgive people who hurt them.
In Sunday’s Gospel we will read, people decided that they weren’t ready to make the sacrifices that Jesus was asking of them. Maybe they didn’t understand what Jesus was asking them to do and when they discovered the reality, they decided it wasn’t for them. Maybe they thought they were willing, but when push comes to shove, they decided that it was just too much for them to take on.
We are told at that time in history, there were others who claimed to be the Messiah, so maybe some of those who left Jesus, found someone else who was more exciting or who wasn’t asking them to sacrifice so much.
In our personal lives when a relationship ends it isn’t always about something you did, or who you are. Other times it rests with the other person. Maybe you’ve outgrown them, or maybe they’ve outgrown you. Through the years we have had friends that aren’t a part of our lives today.
So what happens when someone stops being your friend? I mean after you’ve asked yourself if it was you or them and if it was you, did you move to correct the issue?
It hurts when you feel either right or wrong that you’ve been rejected. You then need to forgive the person that hurt you, or did you wrong. Jesus taught that over and over again. If we continue to focus on yesterday then we will miss out on what God has for us today and tomorrow.
Remember what Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you wish to go away?” Peter responds, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We have come to believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” If someone leaves Jesus, it is a tragedy because he truly is the Holy One of God.
