We often use the term “friend” loosely, introducing casual acquaintances as “My friends Lucy and John.” But what is friendship, really?
In this video, Fr. Mike uses Aristotle’s three kinds of friendship—pleasant friendships, useful friendships, and virtuous friendships—as guidelines.
While all three can be good, the first two can end up being flimsy and fleeting; but the third kind, virtuous friendships, really get to the heart of what good friends are to us. They are on the same mission, they have many of the same goals, we can even kind of see another self within these friends.
Fr. Mike emphasizes the need for us to have more of these kinds of friendships, saying that if we don’t think they matter we may just be distracting ourselves from our loneliness.
Check out this link for an example of two friends who exemplify this kind of friendship.
Don’t forget to check out Fr. Mike’s newest project Quick Catholic Lessons with Fr. Mike, a feature-packed teacher’s guide designed to accompany Fr. Mike’s most popular videos, presented on a convenient DVD. Teachers, catechists, and youth ministers can supplement USCCB curriculum, prompt small-group discussion, and answer students’ questions easily and powerfully with this teacher’s guide and DVD.
MORE FROM FR. MIKE:
Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God
Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith
Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed
YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body
Ascension Presents … Fr. Mike Schmitz
