Friendship is at the core of human relationships. Great philosophers and poets throughout the ages extol the virtues of friendship. Christ even calls us his friends.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. –John 15:13-15
Without friendship our human experience would be, well, less human. We need friendship in our lives, others who can draw us out of ourselves, and bring out our best. But also call out the worst in us, too. Surrounding ourselves with the highest quality of friends is only possible when our sights are on the same goal. True friendship necessarily involves the pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful. With our common sights set on Christ and in our pursuit of heaven, only the deepest of friendships can result. My advice, start there.
With that in mind, and to inspire you to be saints (and to inspire you to make friends with the saints) here is a listicle of saints who were also friends. And really, they’re all friends now as they adore God in heaven as one Church Victorious. Pretty cool.
1. Felicity and Perpetua
2. Francis and Clare
3. Gregory of Tours and Martin of Tours
4. Basil and Gregory
5. John Paul II and Teresa of Calcutta
6. Peter and Paul
7. Theresa of Avila and John of the Cross
8. Ignatius and Polycarp
9. Ambrose and Augustine
10. John Marie Vianney and Philomena
What other great Catholic duos do you know?!
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