Friendship Day

A day we need to appreciate more

The first sunday of August is celebrated as friendship day in parts of the world; in the Catholic church, first sunday of August (as it comes close to the 4th of August) is mostly celebrated as Vianney Sunday. It's very important to celebrate the services of pastoral priests. As both celebrations normally come together, friendship day is often forgotten in the church circles; Good friends or best friends celebrate in private capacities. But its also true that friendship sunday or friendship as such is never celebrated; so the culprit is not Vianney Sunday; just that we don't celebrate friendship much in church unlike priesthood, or family life or other feasts.

Jesus was the master and the shepherd; he called his disciples friends. The disciples were friends of Jesus. Even Mary Magdalene and many other women were friends of Jesus. In the life of Jesus, one relationship he extolled much was friendship. (we don't need to forget Mary or Joseph and the relationship of Jesus with them).
Even in the church we see good models of friendships among various saints. Francis of Assisi and Claire, Ignatius and Francis Xavier, John Paul II and Mother Theresa may be a few examples.

We have all historical, theological and pastoral reasons to celebrate friendships. Even in a synodal church, one of the close values associated with shepherds will be their ability to be friends (and not masters). Is Spirit inviting us for something?? Probably for celebrating the friendship more ...