The Importance of Spiritual Friendship: Homily for Thursday, January 2, 2025

Today we celebrate the saints Basil and Gregory. They are a great example of the role friendship can be to aid our spiritual growth. Readings for Today.

The Importance of Spiritual Friendship: Homily for Thursday, January 2, 2025

There is something quite important about friendships, particularly those friendships that we might firstly describe as spiritual friendships. You know, when I worked in a high school and a kid was in trouble, I often would ask him, “Who do you hang out with?” to see if the people that one hangs out with were good or bad influences on this person.

We could ask the same question of ourselves. Who do we hang out with? Who are our friends? Are they good influences on us or not so good influences on us?

Today we celebrate two great spiritual friends, St. Basil and St. Gregory of Nanzianzen. Great great theologians in the church, both of them. Both were drawn to asceticism. Both spoke wonderfully about the truth of the Trinity.

But perhaps most important is the impact they had on each other. When they were living a life of asceticism, St. Basil encouraged St. Gregory to go home and take care of his father. For St. Basil, this life of asceticism showed force not only in his great theological work, but in his care for the poor.

It’s a challenge for us, I think, to think about who is it that we have in our life as a spiritual friend or maybe spiritual friends. Certainly there is the question, or there could be the person in our lives like a spiritual director who helps us to discern what is the presence of God in our lives. Maybe there is a person in our life with whom we have great conversations about the faith life. Maybe there’s that person who encourages us always to do the right thing. Not afraid to challenge us when we have gone astray. Who is it in your life that leads you to God?

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