creavit: Jan 12, St Aelred: Holy Friendship

Nevertheless, turn your attention briefly to the manner in which friendship is, so to say, a stage toward the love and knowledge of God. Indeed, in friendship there is nothing dishonorable, nothing deceptive, nothing feigned; whatever there is, is holy, voluntary, and true. And this itself is also a characteristic of charity. In this, truly, friendship shines forth with a special right of its own, that among those who are bound by the tie of friendship all joys, all security, all sweetness, all charms are experienced….And so in friendship are joined honor and charm, truth and joy, sweetness and good-will, affection and action. And all these take their beginning from Christ, advance through Christ, and are perfected in Christ. Therefore, not too steep or unnatural does the ascent appear from Christ, as the inspiration of the love by which we love our friend, to Christ giving himself to us as our Friend for us to love, so that charm may follow upon charm, sweetness upon sweetness, and affection upon affection. And thus, friend cleaving to friend in the spirit of Christ, is made with Christ but one heart and one soul, and so mounting aloft through degrees of love to friendship with Christ, he is made one spirit with him in one kiss. Aspiring to this kiss the saintly soul cries out: “Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth."
St. Aelred of Rievaulx. Spiritual Friendship. Trans. M. E. Laker, SNND. Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1977.

Perpetua and Felicity- unknown

"Friendship is oneness of Heart, Mind and Spirit, in things human and divine, with mutual esteem and kindly feelings of approval and support." St. Aelred

Sergius and Bacchus, from a convent in Ma'aloula

It is such a great joy to have the consolation of someone's affection;

someone to whom I am deeply united in the bonds of love;

someone with whom my weary spirit can find rest; and to whom I may pour out my heart;

someone whose conversation is as sweet as a song in the tiring times of daily life;

someone whose presence is a harbor of calm when my life is rocked on the choppy seas of life;

someone to whom I can lay bare all my thoughts and secrets;

someone whose spirit will give me the comforting kiss that heals all the sickness of my troubled heart;

one who will cry with me when I am upset and rejoice with me when I am happy;

the one I can talk to when I need advice or good judgement;

someone so closely bound to my heart and soul that even when far away is together with me in spirit;

when the world falls asleep all around us, our souls will be embraced in absolute peace;
our hearts will lie quiet together, united in our oneness, as the grace of the Holy Spirit flows over us; with heart and mind together, we are bound by the closest ties of love.
(based on St Aelred, Mirror of Love)