Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons: 20-21 July 2013

Fr Robin Gibbons

I have never thought that Jesus was either telling off Martha or making an unfair comparison of her with Mary. That goes right against the grain of what we know was his deep friendship with them and their much loved brother Lazarus.

When I was a Benedictine novice that Gospel was still being used to explain the primacy of the contemplative life over the active, the wisdom of life’s experience has made me question that image as well. What seems to be taking place is an expression of care for Martha, the same kind of concern we may express for a friend who is very busy trying to make us feel at home and welcome, ‘don’t worry about food ’ we might say, ’ I’ve really come to see you and that’s enough!’. I get the distinct impression Jesus wanted to have Martha come and sit with her sister and just enjoy being in each other’s company. She certainly seems to have been the organizer, but we have to remember that in terms of hospitality she was showing Jesus one of the greatest compliments of friendship, doing what was necessary for him. He in return was placing her on an equal footing with himself, and dare we say it, men, telling her to come and be with him!

This image of friendship runs deep in the spiritual tradition, the story of Abraham and Sarah making the heavenly visitors welcome is also an expression of friendship, welcoming the stranger and maing them part of our lives. It echoes something we find in the story of creation where God seems to want human beings to be with him as friends, partners in dialogue and relationship, friends!

The English tradition of prayer is full of that image of friendship with Jesus; St Richard of Chichester’s famous prayer refers to him as ‘friend and brother’. St Aelred, Abbot of Rievaulx in Yorkshire wrote a beautiful work on friendship and sees that as one of the greatest gifts of God’s love for us. In Lady Julian’s revelations we find her relationship with Christ to be the same, that of intimate relationship, she goes as far as talking about him in terms of Mother. In the Celtic tradition the soul friend, one who journeys with us in faith is one of the great gifts of friendship in Christ. And so for us, perhaps Jesus is calling us to seek him out as friend today!

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain.