Pastor's Corner by Fr. Bob Hoffman

 

Importance of Friendship

 

The last two weeks at our school Mass, I was able to address the importance of good friends. 

 

A week ago, the Gospel was about Jesus sending out the Apostles two-by-two. Jesus would have done this so that no one went alone. He knew that the message might not always be accepted. At times, it would have been difficult. But having someone with each of them would help ensure safety, keep their confidence from crashing, and help make sure that the message was not watered down for greater acceptance.

 

Jesus knows that we go forth to live this life. It is a different kind of journey. It is a pilgrimage that leads us back to eternity with God. It is not one that we are meant to take alone. He is with us. He has also sent the Holy Spirit to give us gifts and graces for the trip. But he also wants us to have other people with us on this journey with whom we can support each other in living the Christian ideal.

 

This week, I shared the story of twins, Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica. Saint Benedict founded the Benedictine order, and Saint Scholastica founded a community of Benedictine women.   Because of their monastic rules (which Saint Benedict wrote), they could only meet once a year. But it was a beautiful meeting in which they would discuss God and spiritual life at great length.

 

I asked the students to find more than just a good friend. Rather, I challenged them to find a good friend with whom they could talk about God. And I told them that such a friendship would be a beautiful thing for them just as it was for these twin saints.