ДРУЗЬЯ

Love is better than power and all wealth; it is more valuable than health and light itself; she is the basis of complacency. How long will we limit love to one or two? Take yourself a lesson from the opposite. Let someone not have a single friend (which is a sign of extreme foolishness, because only a fool will say: I have no friend): what will his life be like? Even if he were extremely rich, even if he was in contentment and luxury, even if he acquired countless benefits, he is lonely and helpless. It’s not like that between friends; but even if they were poor, they are richer than the rich. What someone does not dare to say for himself, a friend will say for him; What he cannot achieve for himself, he will achieve through another, and even much more. Thus friendship will be for us the basis of all pleasure and all security. Indeed, it is impossible to suffer any harm to one who is protected by so many squires. And the royal bodyguards are not as vigilant as these: they protect out of need and fear, and these out of goodwill and love; love is much stronger than fear. Moreover, the king is afraid of his guards, and a person who has friends relies more on them than on himself, and in their presence is not afraid of anyone who is malicious. Let us acquire this product - the poor, in order to have consolation in poverty, the rich, in order to possess wealth in safety, the boss, in order to rule safely, the subordinate, in order to have favorable bosses. This is a reason for leniency, this is the basis of meekness. After all, even among animals, those who do not live in herds are especially cruel and indomitable. That is why we live in cities and have squares to communicate with each other. Paul also commanded this, saying: “Let us not forsake assembling ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25); there is nothing worse than loneliness, unsociability and inaccessibility. What do you say, monks and those who occupied the mountain tops? And they are not without friends. They have moved away from the noise of the city, do not have many comrades who are unanimous with them and sincerely attached to each other. That is why they withdrew from the world in order to achieve this. Since quarreling about matters produces many discords, they, withdrawing from the world, practice love with great zeal. What do you say if someone is alone? Does he really have countless friends? I would, of course, like to see, if possible, that [the hermits] live together; but even now let friendship be unshakable. It's not the place that makes friends. And they have many admirers; but they would not be revered if they were not loved. And they, for their part, pray for the entire universe, and this serves as the greatest proof of friendship. That is why in the sacraments we kiss each other, so that we - many - can be united, and we make common prayers for the uninitiated, we pray for the sick, for the fruits of the universe, for the earth and the sea. Do you see all the power of love in prayers, in the Sacraments, in exhortations? She is the cause of all good things (9). Take care to make friends for yourself before your own family, before anything else. If peacemakers are sons of God (Matthew 5:9), then how much more so is he who wins friends? If only the one who reconciles is called the son of God, then the one who makes those who are reconciled friends will not be worthy of what? Let us make this purchase, making those who are at enmity among ourselves friends, uniting those who are neither enemies nor friends with each other, and above all, ourselves (10). You might be interested in: