Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Frater Anthony Ynzon SVD – Divine Word Seminary, Quezon City
Friday 20th Week in Ordinary Time
There are countless ways to define what a friend is, but I am most fascinated by the sabungero’s definition: “Ang totoong kaibigan ay ‘yung di pumupusta ng palihim sa kalaban ng manok mo.”
There is wisdom here. A true friend does not betray you, stab you in the back, or take advantage of your goodness. Loyalty is not superficial but proven in action.
This was the very hurt Jesus conveyed in today’s Gospel. The Pharisees and Scribes appeared to be loyal “cockfighting buddies” of God, showing legalistic familiarity with the Scriptures and the Law. Yet their loyalty ended there. They refused to follow God’s precepts, unwilling to sacrifice their comforts. In truth, they placed their bets on the opponent of God while deceptively appearing to be pro-Law.
Jesus warned: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8).
The Gospel reminds us of God’s sorrow—that many find it difficult to be true “friends of God” all the way. We are asked to be loyal, faithful, and sincere in our discipleship. “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14).
The next time you see an image of St. Peter with a rooster, remember that here was a man who denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:61). That rooster became his reminder of conversion, a symbol of learning the sabungero’s lesson of true friendship.
Peter eventually became the rock of the Church, proving that even those who falter can learn loyalty. His story is a reminder for us too: if he was able to learn the meaning of true friendship, so can we.
True friendship with God means betting our lives on Him, not secretly siding with the world. It means loyalty, sacrifice, and love. May we learn from Peter’s rooster and from Jesus’ sorrow that friendship with God is not about appearances but about wholehearted fidelity.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
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