Day 112: True Friendship

Psalm 142 Christian tradition has often viewed this psalm from the perspective of Christ’s suffering and Death on the Cross. Mention is made of someone who has been entrapped and abandoned by his friends and will face his fate alone. Christ suffered intense dread upon contemplating his future Passion, praying that the cup might pass from him. Though he asked to be dispensed from his Passion, he clearly stated that he only desired the will of his Father. The psalmist knew that his pain would be followed by joy after the Resurrection and he wished no evil upon his captors just as Christ forgave those who had crucified him. (Cf. St. John Paul II, General Audience, November 12, 2003)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)


(*Walking With God: A Journey Through The Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins)



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, we give you praise and glory. We thank you so much. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the gift of friendship. Lord God, we see a true friendship between Jonathan and David. We give you thanks for all the people in our lives, whether they be few or great in number, who have been loyal to us, who have been faithful to us, that you have brought into our lives and have cared for us or protected us or even just done their best to be a friend. Lord God, at this moment we pray for all of them. We pray for every person who has ever loved us, even those who have not loved us like they should have. We lift them up to you right now. Lord God, in this moment we also lift up before you every heart that is lonely, every heart that is isolated, every heart that does not and has not known friendship. We pray for all of those hearts that experience this life and walking through this world as a lonely journey, as a lonely experience, as the experience of one who remains unseen and unknown and unloved. They are our brothers and sisters and they are with us right now. As we go through this Bible in a Year, Lord God, we pray for them right now. And we pray for them in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”