a little piece of eternity

Acts 15:22-32; Psalm 57 I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord; John15:12-17

Tennessee Williams, an american playwright, in his work, A Streetcar Named Desire, writes the following about New Orleans, "Don't you just love those long rainy afternoons in New Orleans, where and hour isn't just an hour-but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands- and who knows what to do with it?"

A little piece of Eternity dropped into your hands-and who knows what to do with it.

I like this description. Isn't this what Jesus offers us in the gospel today when he calls us friends, "a little piece of eternity dropped into our hands."

The question is, "what will we do with it?"


The gospel is a beautiful exhortation by Jesus to all of us. His words are very elegant and inviting. In the gospel we hear the words we all long to hear: love and friend. Jesus tells us no one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. What beautiful words.

We all long to hear words of love and friendship.

But Jesus includes other words we often miss. He mentions "commandment" and "bear fruit." But the the word that is probably most often over looked and yet the most essential in the conversation with Jesus is one of the smallest words.

"You are my friends if you do what I command you." There it is, that simple yet powerful word "if."

Love is unconditional but yet conditions remain. It is the condition that invites us to experience the unconditional embrace of divine friendship.

"If you do what I command."

Perhaps we should sit with this for awhile. Let it roll around in our mind and heart. Unconditional love that begins with a condition. This is how we know it is true love after all. It has to begin somewhere.

The condition set by the "if" is really the starting line for love and friendship.

Not only is it the starting line it is also the measuring stick. The "if" phrase helps us judge whether or not we have been true friends. IT lets us know where we stand. This is what true friendship is all about: where to start and where to stand.


a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands-and what will you do with it.