The Church's Business is Friendship

I’ve read somewhere recently that loneliness is epidemic in Canada. Our technology, social media and internet connectedness, as important and useful as they are, can in no way meet the deeper needs of the human soul. The human heart is made for friendship with God and with others. In our fragmented, distracted and disconnected society, the church should be a place of warm welcome and intentional friendship.

At one level in the life of the church, we need to foster an open presence and friendship with all those who come across our path. Not just with those who look and think like you, but especially with those who are different than you. Friendship with God is inclusive of all souls and all of creation. There are risks involved in this open stance to friendship. Being open and present to someone who challenges your comfort zone translates into being willing to be stretched and changed yourself.

We recognize the place and value of community friendship, but the soul also needs friendship on a more intimate level. There can be people in our lives who share common interests and living experiences whom we are called into friendship with. Such friendships can be found supportive in family life, professional living, and a multitude of social settings.

Probably the most important form of friendship is the soul friend (or Anam Cara in the Celtic tradition). A soul friend is someone you can share deeper movements of heart and spirit. It is someone who can help you recognise barriers and obstacles in our ego’s and mind’s, as we open up to our deeper spiritual hearts. This deeper spiritual heart is our truest self made in the image of God. A life is more fully lived when lived out of this deep place of loving union, and deep place of friendship. Soul friends, by opening spiritual hearts, each to the other, experience deep love which pours out upon all other friendships and relationships.

The Church’s business is friendship. So lets be intentional on being friends with those in our church, friends with our community and beyond, and friends with God - our longed for Friend.


In the human heart
there is a natural longing
for friendship.

Friendship
that promises
more life,

in an unfolding
mysterious
experience.

Where
friendship and living
become synonymous.

Where
loving constantly
is still not enough.

Where
the friend reveals
the longed for Friend.