On Friendship by the Book of Sirach

Sacred Heart Church, Honolulu

...A kind mouth multiplies friends, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings. Let your acquaintances be many, but one in a thousand your confidant. When you gain a friend, first test him, and be not too ready to trust him for one sort of friend is a friend when it suits him, but he will not be with you in time of distress.  Another is a friend who becomes an enemy, and tells of the quarrel to your shame.  Another is a friend, a boon companion, who will not be with you when sorrow comes.  When things go well, he is your other self, and lords it over your servants; but if you are brought low, he turns against you and avoids meeting you. Keep away from your enemies; be on your guard with your friends. A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.

Sirach 6:1-18

The guidance given above in the Book of Sirach should really be taken seriously by everyone. Seems like everyone uses the word "friend" very lightly.  I know I am one of those culprits.  In reality, aren't those we consider friends really just acquaintances?  It is not a negative thing to have many acquaintances.  Yet not everyone is blessed to have a really good friend.  If you have such a friend, be grateful.

Even if we don't feel like we have a close friend, remember that we do.  It is Jesus and He is always there for us.

Saintly Quotes - Friendship Bears Fruit Both in This Life and the Next

Picture source

In human life nothing holier can be desired, nothing more useful sought after, nothing is harder to find, nothing sweeter to experience, nothing more fruitful to possess than friendship. For it bears fruit both in this life and the next, showing forth all virtues in its sweetness and in its strength destroying vice. It softens the blows of adversity and moderates elation in prosperity.

Without friendship there can be hardly any happiness among humans; they may well be compared to animals if they have no one to rejoice with them in good fortune or sympathize with them in sorrow, no one to whom they can unburden themselves in time of trouble, or with whom they can share some especially uplifting or inspiring insight.

Alas for anyone who is alone and has no one to lift him up when he falls. Without a friend one is indeed alone. But what joy it is, what security, what a delight to have someone to whom you dare to speak as to another self; to whom you are not afraid to admit that you have done something wrong, or shy of revealing some spiritual progress you have made; someone to whom you can entrust all the secrets of your heart and with whom you can share your plans.

St. Aelred of Rievaulx

Shared by Sue

A Letter to Father Ragheed From His Muslim Friend

H/T to Ma Beck who once again has posted a few articles regarding this young priest. Thank you Ma for bringing his story to our attention.

The following is an excerpt from the very moving letter:

"In fact, you returned to Iraq, not only to share the suffering and destiny of your people but also to join your blood to the blood of thousands of Iraqis killed each day. I will never forget the day of your ordination [Oct. 13, 2001] in the [Pontifical] Urbanian University … with tears in your eyes, you told me: "Today, I have died to self" … a hard thing to say..."

The entire letter can be found HERE