Friendship

{ An Augustinian Value
The Italian painter Carpaccio made a
beautiful portrait of St. Augustine for the
Church in Venice. We can see St.
Augustine working in his own office. And
among all the interesting details of the
picture, we can also see one small white
dog which is looking attentively at St.
Augustine.
The details does not mean that he loved
dogs, the dog represents loyalty and
friendship which St. Augustine
cherished most.
The painters of 15th and 16th centuries
included dogs in their work of arts to
mean that the persons represented in
those pictures were loyal and
loved friendship.
The dog represents not only His loyalty to God
and to his Church but also St. Augustine’s
love for friendship.
In all his life, St. Augustine wanted to be near
his friends. He was a man that loved the
company of friends. He discovered later on
that human being cannot live without
having friends and without having a
friendly attitude for one another.
The Root and Source of All
Friendships
• The terrible experience he had in his life
when he was young was, when St.
Augustine lost a dear friend.
• From the book Confessions, the death of
his dear friend made him realized what
friendship really is and what should be
the basis of all relationships.
“ My heart was utterly darkened by
this sorrow and everywhere I looked I
saw death. My native place was a torture
room to me and my father's house a
strange unhappiness. And all the things I
had done with him -- now that he was gone
-- became a frightful torment. My eyes
sought him everywhere, but they did
not see him; and I hated all places
because he was not in them, “
• St. Augustine discovered that the root of
all friendships is God. He realized that
in order to keep one’s friend forever, and not
to love
to suffer when they die, we have
them always in the Lord.
• In God, there we will always be able to find
them.
• This is the first step of friendship for St.
to love all in God and
Augustine-
because of God. Only this way we
would be able to keep the friends forever.
Do you have friends?
How many friends do you have?
What are the basis of your
friendships?
How do you maintain your
relationships with them?
How important are your friends to
you?
To be a “Friend” or To
have a “Friendly
Attitude”
“Faithful friends are a strong

shelter; whoever finds one has found a

treasure…” Sirach 6:14
The three “S” of Friendship
according to St. Augustine…
• In our communities we are to
discover, establish and, cultivate
values of true friendship.
• Authentic friendship according
to St. Augustine have three “S”
Sincere
It means that living and saying the truth to one
another and not taking advantage of a friend as
it often happens nowadays in social media. This
happens too, in our daily life where some people
try to have powerful and influential friends, not
because they are real friends but because they
too want to have power and to gain influence.
“…Kaibigan mo ba
dahil kailangan mo o
kailangan mo dahil
kaibigan mo?”
“…Mahal mo ba ako dahil
kailangan mo ako o
kailangan mo ako dahil
mahal mo ako?”
Strong
• True friends should tell the truth to one
another and not simply close their eyes if
a friend commits a big mistake or error.
• With charity and understanding a true
friend will honestly tell his friends what
seems to be wrong with him or her.
“You really love your friend when
you hate what is damaging him/
her…”s.49, 5
Spiritual
• The point of departure is God.
• A friend has a duty of taking his
friends to God.
• To be able to love him/her in God.
• Without this characteristic, that
friendship will not be Augustinian
not even a Christian friendship
Friendship within the
community
• To be kind and welcoming (St. Ambrose
to St. Augustine)
• Strong concern for the community
• To be friendly means to do and aspire
good things to others and
• to recognize in every person the face of
Christ
“Carry each other’s burden, and in this
way you will fulfill the law of
Christ...” Gal. 6:2
Friendship inside the community
will mean avoiding gossip which
St. Augustine rejects. He advises to
pray for the members of the
community that the Lord may open
their hearts to see their own
mistakes and be converted.
In the community of St. Augustine
gossips has no place.
“…Whoever likes to criticize the life of
those who are absent, may know that he
is not worthy to seat at this table…” Vita
Augustini, 22
The Rule of Our
Father St. Augustine
To live
harmonious-
ly in your
house, intent
upon God in
oneness of
mind and
heart