The Elixir of Life

Yesterday, we talked about the importance of friendship with Christ. Today, we’re talking about spiritual friendship with others.

So what is Spiritual Friendship?

Spiritual Friendship occurs when we find another person or a handful of people who share our love for God and want to grow in union with him. We love each other unconditionally, that is, just because we think they make the world a better place by being in it. But we love this friend with a demanding love, meaning, we want them to reach all their potential for goodness and we are committed to help them as they are committed to help us in return.

Everyone needs a spiritual friend and better yet a handful, a small group of them.

Take the initiative to invite others to share life with you regularly. It takes no extra time. Have a meal or a drink, take a walk, watch a game, go hunting or fishing or quilting. Just do what you normally do but do it with others.

Then have a good conversation with them. Talk about everything that is true, and beautiful, and good. This is just another reason why building the habit of daily meditation is so important, Daily meditation feeds us with the best part of reality, which then

enables us to talk about it with our friends. A daily resolution helps

us grow in virtue so we can help our friends grow in virtue as well.

As Teresa of Avila writes: “A great evil it is for a soul to be alone in the midst of so many dangers.”

But thank God we don’t have to be alone!