For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Mt 25: 35-40)
Friendships are gifts from heaven. As I sit here typing this out, my heart rejoices. It rejoices with overwhelming shaky feeling; my endorphins upping my mood on this hot first day of Summer Solstice. There are no doubts about how or why I met these people in my life.
That’s the great thing about college. There are days I dragged myself out of bed because of late night study sessions the night before. These sessions test my patience and I often wrestle with my persistence. Should I give up or keep going? The pressure to succeed is so great that my mind overthinks. If I am not careful, my anxiety takes over. But, behold, my friends comes to the rescue.
One friend texts me messages of encouragement. One other friend prays for me. One offers to pay for our hot chocolate as we sat in the air-conditioned Orrandre Library. My favorite study spot is the Saint Clare room on the third floor. I walked over to the elevator, panting out of breath because my backpack feels like rocks and stones. I have worked so hard-- to get into a four-year university and here I am-- my dream, a reality that surpasses all the tears and sweat of two years in junior college.
Along the way, these friends appear, each with an abundance of love to share. A hug, a chat, dinner together in her Sobrato apartment, or Bible study on Wednesdays in the Small Conference Room in Campus Ministry, hanging out at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz-- these are the moments, the gift of time, and the memories that will never be forgotten.
Friendships unite us together. Without them, we would not exist. As human beings, we are made to socialize and support each other.
The bible quote still rings true to my heart today- “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did it for me.” That is called agape love. It’s the love that surpasses any kind of hate. It’s the care that overcomes any skin color, any type of disability, language, race, you name it. The world would be a much better place if each of us can all practice a little compassion each day.
So, don’t be afraid to take a leap and make a new friend today. You’ll need them in the long run because life will get harder as you get older. If you persevere, the struggles are just blessings in disguise. Take them to heart, because this is where true growth begins.
I’ll leave you with a little poem to reflect on-
Sisters and brothers by heart we will be
For our bond is as vast as the sea.
Destined to be together
We’ll be there for each other
When our mood are under the weather
For we will be close
Wherever life takes us-
Time is the test of patience-
And together we will surpass it.
