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Fr Michael Easter 6
The film “Driving Miss Daisy” is the story of an elderly wealthy white American woman from the Deep South who is told by her doctor to give up driving. She is forced to employ a chauffeur, who is an elderly black man. It is a story of how a Master /Servant relationship transformed into a deep and loving friendship. Friendship in this story transcends race, background and privilege. It confers dignity, equality and mutual respect. And there is the realisation of interdependency in a true friendship. Both need each other.
It was the custom at the time of Jesus for disciples to choose a Rabbi to learn from. A bit like our young people choosing a University to go to. Accommodation as well as the course would be important. A disciple learns from a rabbi not only by listening to his teaching, but by sharing his life, so they pick one who they think will suit them best. But Jesus turns this on its head by telling them “you did not choose me, but I chose you.” And we read that this is precisely what happens in the gospels. People going about their daily tasks such as fishing – these people were not even looking for a rabbi’s school to join – and Jesus simply says “Follow me.”
The relationship between a rabbi and a disciple was certainly a master/ servant relationship. Jesus acknowledges this master/servant relationship when he washes his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. He says “You call me Teacher and Lord – and you are right, for that is what I am.” In washing the feet of his disciples, he turns this relationship on its head. And it is later at that same supper Jesus goes even further when he says as he does in the gospel today “I do not call you servants any longer, because a servant does not know what the master is doing: but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have from my Father.”
The friendship Jesus is talking about is one of equality in mission and purpose. We are close to him because we share a common vision with him. Of course, Jesus remains “Lord” to us; but he gives to us this privilege, to be his friend in doing his father’s work, and in helping him to make him and his Father known to the world.
Jesus asks us “to abide in his love.” In last week’s gospel reading he said “abide in me as I abide in you.” I am sure we all have a view of what true friendship is like. A favorite for me, is that spoken by Aristotle in the 3rd Century before Christ. “What is a friend?” he asks. “A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” This is what Jesus is talking about in our gospel today. Jesus will abide in us; we can abide in him, in his love. This is our friendship with him. A single soul dwelling in two bodies. What a wonderful privilege. United with him – unity of purpose, of vision, of mission, of love.
Amen.
The film “Driving Miss Daisy” is the story of an elderly wealthy white American woman from the Deep South who is told by her doctor to give up driving. She is forced to employ a chauffeur, who is an elderly black man. It is a story of how a Master /Servant relationship transformed into a deep and loving friendship. Friendship in this story transcends race, background and privilege. It confers dignity, equality and mutual respect. And there is the realisation of interdependency in a true friendship. Both need each other.
It was the custom at the time of Jesus for disciples to choose a Rabbi to learn from. A bit like our young people choosing a University to go to. Accommodation as well as the course would be important. A disciple learns from a rabbi not only by listening to his teaching, but by sharing his life, so they pick one who they think will suit them best. But Jesus turns this on its head by telling them “you did not choose me, but I chose you.” And we read that this is precisely what happens in the gospels. People going about their daily tasks such as fishing – these people were not even looking for a rabbi’s school to join – and Jesus simply says “Follow me.”
The relationship between a rabbi and a disciple was certainly a master/ servant relationship. Jesus acknowledges this master/servant relationship when he washes his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. He says “You call me Teacher and Lord – and you are right, for that is what I am.” In washing the feet of his disciples, he turns this relationship on its head. And it is later at that same supper Jesus goes even further when he says as he does in the gospel today “I do not call you servants any longer, because a servant does not know what the master is doing: but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have from my Father.”
The friendship Jesus is talking about is one of equality in mission and purpose. We are close to him because we share a common vision with him. Of course, Jesus remains “Lord” to us; but he gives to us this privilege, to be his friend in doing his father’s work, and in helping him to make him and his Father known to the world.
Jesus asks us “to abide in his love.” In last week’s gospel reading he said “abide in me as I abide in you.” I am sure we all have a view of what true friendship is like. A favorite for me, is that spoken by Aristotle in the 3rd Century before Christ. “What is a friend?” he asks. “A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” This is what Jesus is talking about in our gospel today. Jesus will abide in us; we can abide in him, in his love. This is our friendship with him. A single soul dwelling in two bodies. What a wonderful privilege. United with him – unity of purpose, of vision, of mission, of love.
Amen.
