The Pickwicking we will go

Lesson 1

The Virtue of Friendliness

“The friendship that can cease has never been real.”

-St. Jerome.

In Last weeks reading we learned of the value of friendship. True friendship is a gift, for it teaches us to open our hearts to others. It teaches us to rely upon each other, care for each other and to be loyal to one another. In doing so, we demonstrate our love.

The friendship we practice here on Earth amongst our brothers and sisters, is the very friendship we must cultivate in our relationship with Jesus. We must rely on Him, care for Him, be loyal to Him, and show our love for Him in all ways. Just as we confide in our friends, we must also confide in Jesus. Just as we wish to remain close to our friends, we should also feel moved to be near to Jesus.

For His is a friendship more dear than any other. He will listen to your confessions, and He will not judge you. He will hear of your pains, and He will comfort you. He will discover your needs, and He will provide for you. He is the perfect friend.

So we must strive to emulate this friendship with others. We must try to remember to be forgiving and non-judgmental. We must strive for a deeper understanding. We must always remember to keep our friend's confidence. If we remember all of these things, we will succeed in making our relationships flourish. We will not loose our love for our friends, For we will have become a servant of absolute Love.

As St. Jerome said "a friendship that can cease, has never been real"

We can never have truly loved someone, unless we have able to receive them whole heartedly, just as Jesus has received us.

Patron Saint of Friendship: St. John the Apostle

A Prayer for True Friendship
Jesus, loving companion of Your children,You have extended Your friendship to all.You opened Your arms without discrimination,Offering Your warmth to those seeking comfort.Endow me with the virtue of such a friendship,To know, love and trust all on an equal basis;To share my patronizing without favorism,And to be pleasant towards the destitute.Fashion my heart to reflect Your qualities,Those befitting of a cordial association.Jesus, You showed me the way to true friendship:Blessed is Your amazing and warm Person