Abp. Salvatore Cordileone: Full Text: Archbishop Cordileone’s Homily From the Walk for Life West Coast Mass

Editor’s Note: Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone celebrated Mass on the memorial of St. Frances de Sales for the Walk for Life West Coast on Jan. 24. 2026. Please find the full transcript of the homily below, edited for clarity. 

If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, and you were surrounded by your friends, what dying wish would you leave them with? We all would likely have different answers, but we know what Jesus’ answer is to that question from what St. John tells us that Jesus told his friends at that Last Supper the night before he died: “Love one another as I love you.”

Friendship With Christ

Now, in the world in which we live, people might easily misunderstand this as meaning something very superficial, just simple acts of affection and sharing of company. But Jesus goes on to explain what that means: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Laying down your life, that is, sacrificing everything for the good of the other: This is what makes friendship possible. Is this not what it means to be a true friend, a “best friend forever”?

Think about what this means: This is how Jesus loves us. He laid down his life for us, turning us into his friends because, by doing so, he has revealed to us the love of his Father. But do we want to be his friends? We can accept that friendship and love him in return, or we can reject it and go about living our life in a way that is self-centered. Fortunately, God gives us examples all throughout the history of the Church of what it looks like to be a friend of Jesus.  …

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