Do I believe in real and Genuine Friendship?

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

27th Week – Thursday

Gospel – Luke 11:5-13

First Reading Gal 3:1-5

Do I believe in real and Genuine Friendship?

1) Friendship is a relationship between Persons

"Real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”

Genuine friendship purely based on the relationship between the person and not the things

When a person builds up a friendly relationship because of other things, or for other benefits, such a friendship is not genuine and such a friendship does not last long

*Some important things which are highlighted in the Gospel about friendship are the Following*

2) Friendship and Midnight need

In the Gospel we see a person going to his friend at midnight for some need. 

Midnight is a unusual time and approaching someone in midnight means it will be a extreme situation

A situation where a person needs urgent help for his survival.

In such a situation if a friend does not help means either he is not a friend or he does not value the human relationship

In other words a genuine friend should be ready to help even in the midnight. 

Only a genuine friend can go to another’s house in the midnight and only a genuine friend can accept another friend in the midnight. 

3) Friendship and one’s food

The friendship between the people is reflected in expressing the need of food by one friend to another

Sharing of food also shows the intimate relationship between the persons 

Usually we share food with those who are close to us and whom we consider as close friends 

The friendship of Jesus with His disciples culminates in the Last Supper where they participate in a meal 

Sharing food is also the symbol of trust, closeness, intimacy, love, concern and care

Genuine friendship has a lot to do with sharing of the food

4) Friendship and Asking without hesitation

Two things to note here

First of a friend unexpectedly goes to his friends house in the midnight and asking for a shelter or a little food 

This first friend without planning anything goes to his friends house and begs for shelter and food

Only because they are friends, they accept each other in the midnight. If they are strangers nothing would take place 

Secondly, the friend who received his unexpected friend has nothing to offer him. He may have little place to offer. But didn't have the food

Now this friend has to go in search of his neighboring friend to ask something

So without shame he has to go his friend’s house and beg for something in order to treat his friend. 

5) Great Sacrifice by the friends for the friend's sake

The first friend comes in the midnight asking for shelter and food 

The second friend goes to his friend to beg for loaves to treat his friend who came in the midnight. So the second friend had to go out in the midnight in order to bring something to treat his friend

The third friend had to get up in the midnight to give something to his friend who came for asking some loaves to treat his friend

So all these three friends do some extraordinary things in order to help each other 

6) It is only Friendship is seen between three persons

We come across three people who meet each other in the midnight for some need. 

The connecting factor between these three appears to be only friendship

Only the aspect of friendship relates all these three persons 

That is the power of friendship

7) Only Friendship makes things possible

It is very clear that it is through the aspect of friendship things become possible. 

All of them co-operate with each other because they are friends 

This is the beauty of genuine friendship. 

*What is my friendship?*

*How do I see the aspect of friendship in my life?*  

*Do I believe that genuine friendship can help to become better human being?*

God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones.

Fr Maxim D’Souza

Jeppu Seminary

Mangalore