Show Notes
In this episode, we continue our book study on Friendship in the Lord and discuss how friendship with others leads us into deeper intimacy with God. We talk about our longing for both human and divine communion, how healthy friendships free us from self-preoccupation, and why learning to receive feedback is essential to our growth. We also reflect on how unmet desires in friendship are signs of our longing for the Trinity and the importance of releasing lesser goods so that we can be free to receive God's greater gifts.
Announcement: You can buy your copy of Friendship in the Lord from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon).
Journal Questions: What makes me feel at home with the Trinity? How has God invited me to be a more faithful friend? Where do I need to grow in self-awareness and be freed from self-preoccupation? What is my disposition when someone lovingly reveals my own weaknesses and shortcomings to me? How have I refused to grow?
Discussion Questions: What makes you feel at home with other people? How is God inviting you into deeper communion with others? How has the Lord revealed to you your weaknesses and shortcomings? How did you receive that truth from Him? How have you given into sloth by seeking God's lesser gifts and ignoring His greater gifts?
Quote to Ponder: "In a special way, Christian friendship is meant to help us grow in our relationship with the Lord, as one intimately loved by him. It is meant to give us some small experience of what it means to be at home in communion with the Holy Trinity. Only in intimacy with the Lord are we the deepest "who we are." Only in communion with him are we our truest selves." (Friendship in the Lord, Page 77)
Scripture for Lectio: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro 01:00 Scripture Verse 02:37 Human Friendship Helps Us Grow In Relationship with God 05:06 Freedom from Self-Preoccupation 07:47 Cultivating Self Awareness 10:15 Giving and Receiving Honest Feedback 14:36 Pain in Friendship is a Symbol of Our Longing for God 19:12 What Should We Do with Our Ache? 22:48 Resting in the Enjoyment of Lesser Gifts 25:05 A Call to Make Room 27:22 Closing Prayer
More from Abiding Together
In this episode, we talk about what it means to live an authentically human life in an increasingly digital world. Technology is reshaping the way we live and it affects more than just how we work and play. We reflect on how our thoughts, relationships, and emotions are being influenced, and why we need to be intentional about making space for real, human connection. We share how beauty, creativity, and wonder draw us out of an artificial reality and remind us of the goodness of being human. We also offer practical ideas for finding balance with technology, learning to savor rather than simply consume, and allowing the Lord to rightly order our lives.
In this episode, we reflect on how to integrate the rhythms of the liturgical year into our everyday lives. We talk about the different graces available to us in each liturgical season, and how by living these seasons year after year, we are slowly being taught how to thrive. We also reflect on the value of our attention, what it means to be human, and how sacramentals can help call our attention back to God. Living liturgically is not simply another thing to do, but an invitation to become the women God created us to be.
In this episode, we continue our reflection on the mysteries of our lives by exploring our luminous and glorious mysteries. We talk about how God has been inviting us to trust His plans, especially when they look different from our own. We also share how God has been restoring relationships in our lives, reminding us that He is faithful even when we cannot see the full picture of what He is doing. Through these reflections, we are reminded that when God brings something to light, He is inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him. And that His glory is often revealed through quiet moments of restoration and redemption.
Welcome to Season 19! In this episode, we continue our tradition of reflecting on the mysteries of our lives through the mysteries of the Rosary. In every season of our lives, God invites us to grow in charity, receive His grace, and allow Him to work more deeply in our hearts. It's important to pause from time to time and reflect on how God has been moving in and through our lives. We model what this reflection can look like and share about our joyful and sorrowful mysteries.
To read Sr. Miriam's Letter, visit the Friends of the Bridegroom's website.