Companions

They recognized them as the companions of Jesus. (Acts 4:13) 

In nineteenth-century France, there lived a young widow who was struck by the apostles’ example. It was not what they had done or what they had said but simply that they had walked with Jesus as his companions. This woman, Marie Madeleine d’Houët, went on to found a religious order based on the calling to be a faithful companion of Jesus. The sisters developed a spirituality of being in the Lord’s presence even as they devoted themselves to serving the children and mothers of their war-torn country.

In today’s first reading, we see what must have inspired Marie Madeleine. Peter and John were preaching the gospel with boldness. They had just healed a man who had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years, and everyone who witnessed the miracle was praising God. It was a scene of great excitement, but the thing that caught the attention of the elders and scribes was that these two men were companions of Jesus.

How do you recognize a companion? Well, think about your friends. After spending time together, you begin to share mannerisms and phrases. You are marked by similar experiences, and you share each other’s ups and downs, griefs and joys. Companionship is not so much about what you do as it is about who you become. It’s about how your common experiences change you.

Companionship with Jesus is no different, really. If anything, it’s more involved than a close friendship. Think about it instead in terms of a marriage. Over time, a husband and wife become companions in the deepest possible way. It doesn’t happen right away, but the years spent together make them more and more alike. Many people have even commented on how older married couples actually begin to look like each other!

This is exactly what can happen as we become companions with Jesus. So make it a point to spend time with him, as you would with your spouse or closest friend. Invite him to be with you as you go about your day. Talk to him in your heart. Share your experiences with him. And listen for his response. Never forget that Jesus wants to share his life with you. He wants to be your companion!

“Lord, I want to be your companion; help me walk through every day with you.”

from wau.org