Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph, FMA –
As Friendship Day 2018 falls this Sunday, it is just awesome to recall what St. Thomas Aquinas has affirmed, “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship”. These are words of a great scholar, theologian, philosopher and doctor of the Church. Marcus Tullius opined, “What sweetness is left in life, if you take away friendship? Robbing life of friendship is like robbing the world of the sun. A true friend is more to be esteemed than kinsfolk”. Accompanied by these two highly inspiring quotes on friendship, it is worth reflecting on Friendship Day 2018.
Friendship Day with its International Touch
Friendship day with its International touch and growing beauty is going to stay on. How did the International Friendship Day come about? To celebrate what friends really mean, a day was set apart. The US Congress in 1935 made a Proclamation and the first Sunday of August was declared as a holiday in US in honour of friends. The General Assembly of the United Nations on 27 April 2011 declared 30 July as official International Friendship Day. India and several other countries, celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August.
Hearty Welcome to Celebrations
In the name of Friendship day, every kind of celebration is heartily welcomed. From shopping to wining and dining, there is truly meeting and celebrating among friends. We can’t miss the host of organizers who step forward to add charm and thrill to Friendship day shopping and dining. Can we do something more on this 2018 Friendship Day to add quality and intensity to our friendships?
In the Company of Jesus the Friend
“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me,” said Henry Ford.
A closer look at the Gospels and above all at those who came in close contact with Jesus is more than sufficient to offer us loving glimpses of Jesus’ style of entering into relationship. Once Fr. Ricardo Tonelli, a Professor of Youth Pastoral and a great friend of young people said: it looked as though Jesus was getting closer to people and assuring them: son, daughter, brother, sister, do not be afraid, you can stand straight and walk courageously because my Father loves you. Yes indeed that is exactly what Jesus did. He helped those who lost their dignity to regain it and to find sense and meaning in their life.
Jesus a Trendsetter and Trend Maker of Friendships
Dictionaries offer a variety of descriptions for a trendsetter. The Urban Dictionary affirms that a trendsetter is “Someone who is not only admired for their sense of style but also for their inner beauty and brains.” To every person with whom Jesus interacted with, He was able to offer life and joy in fullness. St. John has expressed it beautifully, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” – Jn 10:10. Jesus was well aware that He has to provide life and life in fullness.
Spurred on with His intimate relationship with His loving Father and led by the Holy Spirit, Jesus quickly identified signs of death and the power of sin that was slowly taking people away from the right track. With His calm and firm assurance Jesus made the person concerned to experience the Father’s love, forgiveness and healing. His non-judgmental attitude made the Samaritan woman to plead: “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jn 4:15.
An unknown quote reveals a great deal of wisdom, “Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life”. As a trend maker of friendships Jesus was able to grasp what was not working in the person and holding firm to His conviction of the Father’s unconditional love, He indicated to those whom He encountered a new path that would ensure peace, joy and integrity. Jesus went far beyond to allow the inner beauty of the person to shine forth. He gave His treasured time to listen, to heal and to comfort. Thus those who placed their trust in Jesus were able to bounce back to a life of joy and renewed freshness.
With Jesus to Friendship Day 2018 and Beyond
The new order of relationship begun by Jesus continues to happen by means of the sacraments. The Eucharist is the source and summit, Baptism seals upon us the permanent character of belonging to Christ and to the Church and from which derives the transformation of the way of living our relationships with God, with other people, and with creation. The Sacrament of Reconciliation allows us to draw near to the Father with trust to have the certainty of his forgiveness opines Pope Francis.
St. Paul reminds us, “Where sin abounds the mercy of God abounds all the more”(Rom 5:20). Each time we go to confession we personally celebrate the death to sin in our own person and rise to the new life of grace.
With Jesus to Friendship Day 2018 and beyond is an invitation to embrace the challenge of making every friendship of ours like that of Jesus: life-giving and joy-filled. What is love? Ann Landers affirms, “Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.” How beautiful and worthwhile life will be when we are journeying in the company of friends who allow us to live and grow into fullness of life. The beauty of the world is Christ’s tender smile for us coming through matter affirmed Simone Weil. May every friendship we knit with each other as friends of Jesus become a life-giving source For Christ’s tender smile to pass on… Have a very Happy Friendship Day!