Jesus gave this command to his disciples, "Love one another as I love you." Jesus disavows any wish to dominate. And when he gets down on his knees and washes his disciples' feet, we see friendship and love truly enacted. Power and love are incompatible in genuine human relationships. Mutuality and freedom must be present; people in relationship must be equals. Jesus says, "I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father." Somehow Jesus puts himself on a par with his disciples. He is "flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone." One with us in all but sin, he is truly our friend. He asks us to love as he loves, giving up any desire to dominate or manipulate others.
Photograph of the Abbey garth by Brother Brian.
Thoughts taken from Father Aquinas' homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
Thoughts taken from Father Aquinas' homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter