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HOUSEHOLD REFLECTION GUIDE FOR AUGUST 2019

2019 Theme: Climbing Mountains with Jesus

Theme in August: “Cherishing Friendships”

Sermon on Mount Topic: “Anger / Retaliation / Judging Others”

Mt 5:21-26,38-42; 7:1-5; Lk 7:37-42

REFLECTION ON THEME
“A friend is a friend at all times.” Pro 17:17 NABRE
“… if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and
offer your gift.” Mt 5:23-24 NABRE
Central Message:
Friendship is an integral part of the Christian Life so if one wants to be a true Christian, he or
she must be good in developing real friendships and cherishing them.

Points to Consider:
1. Friends are a gift from God. God wants us to be linked, to be in friendship with people who
can affirm our faith and strengthen it. We are called to have this relationship with our
spouse first, then others with whom we share life’s journey. “You are better off to have a
friend than to be all alone…” Eccl 4:9 CEV
2. The philosopher Aristotle named 3 kinds of friendship: (a) That of usefulness - between
people who expect to gain from the relationship in some way. These are friendships of the
"You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” type. (b) Of pleasure - between people who enjoy
each other’s company, like activity buddies, people who enjoy a little chit-chat over a meal
or coffee. (c) Of virtue - based on mutual respect and admiration, usually formed when
individuals recognize that they have similar values and goals. The last kind of friendship is
more lasting and is to be preferred over the other two.
3. The deepest friendship is the one mediated by God. We call it Christian friendship. When
we direct our attention to God, we discover that in God we belong to each other. This allows
us to understand that true friendship is give and take, so we cannot have too much
expectations from one another. Being one in God enables friends to network for mutual
support and prayer. This is koinonia in action!
4. We can have many friends but among them, we need 1-3 to be our confidant, our BFF.
With these special friends, we must talk about our deepest feelings. By sharing their joys
and pains, BFFs avoid unnecessary loneliness. Jesus invites us to make Him our BFF too.
He said, “I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from
my Father.” Jn 15:15. Imagine the incredible joy when God is our confidant!
5. In His sermon on the mount, the Lord warned us about the wreckers of friendship – anger,
retaliation and judging. To these, we add insincerity or dishonesty. St Paul wrote, “Be angry
and yet do not sin …” Eph 4:26. Being angry is a human feeling so it is neither right nor
wrong. What matters is our reaction to anger - it can either lead us to wrongdoing or make
 us a better Christian. We apply this same treatment to the other destroyers of friendship.
6. How do we cherish friendships? By growing in the fruit of the Spirit, especially in love and
forgiveness. Let us look at the friendship of Jesus and Peter: Peter, afraid for his life after
Jesus’s arrest at Gethsemane, denied knowing Jesus not once but three times! As He was
led away by His accusers, Jesus cast a look toward Peter that meant, “I knew you would
deny Me and I forgive you.” It turned Peter into a Jesus loyalist forever!
Reflection Questions:
1. How do I cherish my personal friends? My friends in the community?
2. How am I able to deal with anger, the tendency to retaliate, judging people, insincerity?
How has the community helped me?
3. Is reconciliation needed in any of my friendships? What will I do about it?
Prayer: “Lord God, thank You for the priceless gift of my friends. Please help me to cherish them
and to seek reconciliation in humility and love, when it is needed. Make me a true
friend! Amen.”