God's friend

Wow - yesterday was marathon sleep! I was very tired even before lunch but forced mself to go down to the refectory anyway because the community hasn't seen me for 2 days. Good to catch up with the guys again - chatting and laughing at the dining table. Jobi (2nd year student from India) came over to me and said "We were worried about you because we didn't see you for 2 days". It's very nice - to have a community that cares and watches your back when you're out. Even Fr Kaswalder (the Tyrolese Old Testament professor who's pretty gruff) called me over and offered me a chocolate - something he doesn't usually do - it's his way of saying "welcome back". Anyway after lunch i slept right through till 6pm. The exhaustion just caught up. Went down for dinner (hardly ate anything because I was still sleepy), then came back up to my room and slept till 4am this morning. And guess what? I'm still feeling sleepy!!!! Better drink some coffee otherwise I'll get no studies done today.

I was thinking back at some of the things that happened the last 2 days when Lang was here. By the way, Luca from Sydney finally wrote this morning!!!! Hmmm it's about time. Anyway Luca, I was wearing your sneakers with my habit - looked really weird! Lang wanted to take photos to show you. Time you got me another pair too - this time half a size larger ok? Ok back from the digression - I had a tough time trying to introduce Lang to people (the friars or whomever we met). When I said he's my friend - they found it strange. To the friars, I have to say he's my student. You see, around here it's not normal to have people younger than you to be friends. Friends are your peers, of your same age or work. At St Peter Gallicantu where we had to pay entrance fees, the guy asked who Lang was. I said a friend. he looked puzzled. He asked again and I said the same thing. He couldn't understand. I took out the money to pay for Lang, and the guy (arab) said "He's your brother". I looked back and the guy nodded his head, "yes, brother" he repeated. Then he let Lang enter free of charge. It got me thinking about the "brothers and sisters of Jesus" in the Gospels. It's the local culture to introduce people younger than you as brothers and sisters, not friends. They may not be your blood brothers and sisters, but that is how they are viewed here from a social and cultural point of view. Because they are younger, you must take care of them (in my case, bringing Lang to visit places), just as you would your own brothers and sisters; hence the name. It's a social relationship rather than a blood relationship. And of course those of you who have been here in Israel, you would have heard a hundred times the street vendors saying "Come to visit my brother's shop next door", and half the time we're laughing silently - "yeah sure". We all know they're not brothers, but that is how they call each other. So to those who still claim that Mary had other children "brothers and sisters of Jesus", I say come to the Holyland and experience the culture. It's the 5th Gospel - it'll teach you alot of things.

On the other hand "friends" are those of your age, same work or dignity - your equals. And its wonderful to hear from John's Gospel that Jesus calls us "friends"; note that previously he calls his apostles "little children". This concept of friendship with God actually comes from the Old Testament Book of Wisdom (my thesis book), and it raises our dignity and value in the eyes of God. God treats us with such high regard that we can be called his friends. Now think about that!

OK end of lecture. There're alot more reflections but we'll keep it for the next blogs. Just make sure you behave like God's friends today ok?