Feb 24 - Weekday in OT

+ The lineup of reading today at mass is not necessarily coincidental.  And because this is a Friday a third element is not foreign to the lineup. The basic idea for the day in the preeminence of friendship. The Book of Sirach tells us: “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds on finds a treasure.”

This reality and elemental relationship was present in the Garden of Eden at the beginning. Adam and Eve were first created by God to be companions, to be helpmates, to be friends. It was after this fundamental relationship was established did got carry it one step further, to the equally fundamental, and irrevocable relationship of marriage.

In the estimation of God, only friends ought to marry. This is the ideal. However, in practice, throughout the ages, this was and is not always the case. Marriage has been the base of political manipulations, business alignments, and military advantage. But this does not negate the reality of the ideal, nor limit the effort that needs be taken in creating marriage, between a man and a woman, unions in the present and future.

And then once the marriage has been lawfully, and for Christians, sacramentally, contracted and freely entered into – it ought not be disconnected, or the union torn apart – for this would be injurious in the long run to both parties involved, if only psychologically.

But on this Friday we can also take a look at the essence of friendship as being an act of the will, an act of the heart, an act of love. Friends-first are attracted to the goodness of the heart of other, because these hearts are first of all, giving and basically caring, tender and true. The greatest example of all is the self-sacrificially giving, tender, compassionate, heart of God himself, who sent his Son to rescue his wayward and doomed children – to reconcile them, and invite them to life everlasting in a kingdom prepared for them, for us!

And so, we celebrate on this Friday the loved to Pierced Sacred Heart of Jesus who gave everything, unconditionally for us and our salvation. And we thank him profoundly, humbly and meekly – and beg him to teach us more and more every day how to conform our minds to his, our bodies to his, our hearts to his: so that we can live fully the human life he has imagined for us both here and in eternity, and so that we can build up the community of our brothers and sisters in the world around us, who are waiting and depending on our gifts to them, just as we rely on their gifts of friendship, love and family connectedness from them.

What God joins together as friends, as spouses, as colleagues, as community members, as business associates, as citizens of a country and world, let us not break apart, dismantle or put asunder!