Net of friendship

Jo Penn March 19, 2024 6 3

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

Leviticus 19: 18 (NRSVA)

18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.

This rule of love in Leviticus encompasses the Israelite nation within the bond of neighbour, to prevent in-fighting, and promote a group identity. This concept of boundary between family and ‘other’ structures our lives: My friend’s dog has learnt to treat other animals in the household as family, making the distinction between domestic hens and wild pheasants when defending the boundaries of the garden.

In Luke 10:29, an expert in the law asks Jesus ‘who is my neighbour’ and Jesus takes the definition of neighbour much wider when, in response, he tells the parable of the Good Samaritan: to include those outside your group identity, for the kinship of humankind is beyond that of any blood or cultural family.

Those who visited Jesus at his birth were from different social and cultural spheres- the shepherds visited the baby Jesus who would call himself the Good Shepherd — John 10:11;  the Magi (Kings) from the East visited the baby Jesus who would have the notice put on his cross ‘the King of the Jews’ — Luke 21: 38.

Mary Magdalene was welcomed into a diverse group of people who followed Jesus — the disciples were a mixture of fishermen, a Zealot, a tax collector. Her fellow women were defined by their being supporters of Jesus and would have had equally diverse backgrounds. Jesus himself reached out to talk with a Samaritan woman, and Nicodemus the Pharisee as well as healing lepers and those whose sickness had them ostracised from society.

The Taizé monastic community in France commissioned for its 75th anniversary The icon of mercy - Taizé (taize.fr) .This icon depicts the risen Jesus along with pictures recounting the parable of the Good Samaritan and the Bible verse: “Whatever you have done for the least of my brothers or sisters you have done for me” (Matthew 25:40). It encourages us to reach out to those in need, for the Holy Spirit will be with us

Prayer:

Lord Jesus,

Use us to reach out and create a net of friendship across our communities that speaks of God’s love for all. Make us curious to learn from others, and humble enough to listen.

Amen