Spiritual Friendship: Learning to Be Friends with God and One Another

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Spiritual Friendship

Holy Scriptures grew sweet to me and that little bit of knowledge I had gained in the world grew more worthless in comparison, I remembered the things I had read in that little book of Cicero’s, and I marveled then that what I had read did not seem as attractive to me as it once did. 5. For already then, nothing drew my affection entirely to itself which had not been sweetened by the name of Jesus, or flavored by the salt of the Holy Scriptures. And as I thought of these things, I constantly asked myself whether by chance what I had learned from Cicero could be supported by the authority of Scripture. 6. Thus since I wished to be able to love in a spiritual manner but could not, I read very much about friendship in the writings of the holy fathers. However, since I found no aid in them, I began to write about spiritual friendship and to set down for myself the rules of a pure and holy affection. 7. So I have divided this little work into three parts. In the first part I deal with the nature of friendship, noting

its origin or cause; in the second I set forth its advantages and its excellence; and in the third I explain as clearly as I can how and among what sorts of people friendship is able to be preserved unbroken until the end. 8. Therefore let anyone who profits from this book give thanks to God— and, since I am a sinner, let him also intercede on my behalf with Christ’s

So I have divided this little work into three parts: The Nature of Spiritual Friendship The Advantages and Excellence of Spiritual Friendship How to Be Spiritual Friends