Chaplain’s Note

Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan was as controversial to his hearers as this parable of the Good Waverley Boy, on which it is based, would be to us. None of his hearers thought there was such a thing as a ‘good’ Samaritan, to them they were the enemy next door.

Once, late one afternoon, there was a Cranbrook student waiting for a bus on Victoria Rd when he was confronted by some thugs who beat him unconscious and took his phone. Soon after, a teacher walked out the school gates, noticed the figure lying by the road, looked at their watch and walked by on the other side of the street. Later, a prefect came by, checked their duty roster, made sure it wasn’t their responsibility and also walked on by. Later still, a Waverley boy was walking down the road when he noticed the student slumped on the roadside. He approached the boy and seeing that he needed medical help he summoned an Uber and travelled with him to the hospital where he waited with him until the Cranbrook boy’s parents arrived. The next day, he went back to make sure the student was okay.

The Good Samaritan parable was told in answer to the question of ‘who is my neighbour?’, the implication being, who are the people we should love when Jesus says, ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. Jesus’ parable rejected tribalism; the notion that we should only like those who are like us. In a school context like ours such tribalism is a constant danger, both between groups within the school and between us and other schools.

It is all too easy for our support, our passion and our loyalty, all of which are good things, to spill-over into an unthinking, unwavering general prejudice against our occasional competitors. It can be hard not to. I know this because I’m guilty as charged.

Jesus, however, preached and practiced a better way. He insisted that we should treat all people as if they were ‘us’ rather than ‘others’; to love our neighbours as ourselves. To recognise that what we all share in common, is far greater and more significant than the differences we often create and emphasise. The Samaritan showed the kind of care that Jesus required, for someone who would have considered him an enemy.

Last assembly Mr Meakin spoke about the difference between jeering and cheering as supporters at a sporting fixture. It was a reminder that our tribalism between schools is taught and caught by the culture within the schools. Do we allow positive ‘differentiation’ to become an excuse for exclusive ‘tribalism’? Do we create a culture which motivates our students to be competitive due to external ‘enemies’ rather than internal ‘excellence’? Contrary to Christ’s command, do we actually teach our students and sons to hate their ‘neighbours’ especially if we happen to compete against them on the sporting field!

Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that those who follow Christ can’t be competitive on the sporting field. Wallabies Taniela Tupou and Samu Kerevi may pray before they play, but it would be foolish for an opponent to think this will make them soft. But the right attitude is to keep the competitiveness on the field, on the field, where it belongs. Then, when the match ends, to be able to shake hands, as neighbours, having enjoyed a contrived moment of rivalry, in the midst a lifetime of shared humanity.  Like Taniela Tupou you might even pray for the recovery of those who tried to tackle you!

Rev Rod Farraway
Chaplain