Jesus offered this friendship to his disciples, tax collectors, prostitutes, lawyers, foreigners, and anyone who was willing to accept it
Father Timothy Radcliffe, Dominican friar and former Master of the Order of Preachers, started his 3rd meditation titled “Friendship” delivered on the occasion of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that began last 4 October with a reflection on the meaning of friendship and how it can be used to bring unity to a divided world.
He also discussed how friendship can be used to deepen our relationship with God and with each other.
Thus, he began with this reflection — “On the eve of his death, Jesus prayed to his Father, expressing a desire for unity among his followers, echoing the words “May them be one as we are one” (John 17.11).
However, throughout the New Testament, we observe divisions, conflicts, and excommunication among the disciples.
The purpose of our gathering at this Synod is to address our own divisions and seek unity of heart and mind, which can serve as a precious testimony in a world plagued by conflict and inequality.
The Body of Christ should embody the peace promised by Jesus, a peace the world yearns for, Radcliffe continued.
Reflecting on the sources of division, such as conflicting hopes and diverse visions of the Church as a spiritual home, Radcliffe urged his listeners to “recognize that these tensions need not tear us apart.
“We carry a hope that transcends our differences, and the Kingdom is a spacious home with “many dwelling places” (John 14.1).”
While not every hope or opinion is equally valid, Radcliffe made it clear to his listeners that they should understand that orthodoxy is expansive, while heresy is narrow.
“The Lord leads us from the confinement of the sheepfold to the wide-open pastures of our faith, eventually leading us from the locked room of doubt to the boundless vastness of God” he said.
To achieve unity, he encouraged the retreat participants to “go beyond mere rational debates, saying that . . . as followers of Christ, we should cultivate a deeper friendship with the Lord and with each other, reminiscent of the friendship Jesus offered to his disciples, tax collectors, prostitutes, lawyers, and foreigners.”
Adding that even when classical norms dictated that friendships were only possible between the good or equals, God consistently engaged in unconventional friendships, such as with Jacob, David, and Solomon.
According to Radcliffe, “the message of the gospel goes beyond transmitting information; it is an act of friendship. This involves loving those we preach to and embodying a spirit of friendship with people from various backgrounds and beliefs, even those we may disagree with.”
Radcliffe clarified the foundation of the participants’ efforts at the Synod should be the friendships they form.
For him, this might not make headlines, but it is through friendship that the participants can transition from an individualistic “I” to a collective “We.”
Touching on the Instrumentum Laboris, he said the document acknowledges the loneliness experienced by many priests and emphasizes the need for care, friendship, and support.
He characterized friendship as a creative endeavor, in which the Synod participants are tasked with forming improbable friendships, especially with those whose perspectives differ from one’s own.
According to him, despite the potential awkwardness, the “essence of friendship lies in simply being with one another and enjoying one another’s presence.”
Ultimately, our world craves authentic friendships, yet he warned that destructive trends like populism and extreme individualism often hinder meaningful connections.
To counter these trends, Radcliffe urged the need to share our doubts and questions honestly and seek the truth together.
Because, according to him, by sharing concern for the truth, friendship can still flourish, despite differences and uncertainties.
In these times between the first and second coming of Christ, we must become the face of Christ for each other, recognizing the invisible and offering our genuine presence to others.
Friendships should be built on understanding and recognition, and our world hungers for such connections.
Finally, as followers of Christ, we need to understand that friendship is seen as a way to deepen our relationship with God and with each other.
The Vatican II document Dei Verbum states that “the invisible God speaks to men and women as friends” (Dei Verbum, 2). This means that God wants to have a personal relationship with us and that we can approach him as we would approach a friend.
The healing friendship of God can help us overcome the prisons we create for ourselves. It can help us find peace and comfort in difficult times.
Furthermore, this friendship is not limited to a select few but is offered to everyone, regardless of their background or social status.
Jesus offered this friendship to his disciples, tax collectors, prostitutes, lawyers, foreigners, and anyone who was willing to accept it.
It was the first taste of the Kingdom of God.
