Friends in common

The first part of today’s first reading (Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27) may not appear to be the most inspiring bit of Biblical prose: consisting mainly of a list of obscure names.

But it meant a great deal for the Romans who first received this letter from St. Paul, not just for the individuals he mentions (“Hey, Andronicus! Paul says, ‘Hi.’”), but for the other Romans as well.

What St. Paul is doing here is demonstrating his personal connection with people in a place he has never been, by pointing out the friends they have in common.

This is more than just 1st century social networking: it is also a statement about the Church. We are connected to each other by more than just our common faith, baptism, and Lord or by ecclesiastical structures (although all of these in different ways are fundamental); we are also connected to each other by the friends we have in common.

As it was for St. Paul, this can be a great aid when we try to share our faith with others: we are not just some freelancer from who-knows-where – we are the friends of a friend (of a friend).

It is also a comfort for us.

It is too easy for us to feel isolated as believers in a world of unbelief, but we have friends in Christ and beyond them we have common friends with believers we do not yet know (even without counting our friends and common friends in cyberspace): chains of friendship extending all around the world, anticipating the great circle of beloveds who will one day, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, stand together around the throne of God.