Counsel of friends.

Lectionary: 186
Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Gospel
St. Damasus

Blessed are those who were friends with Elijah. Being his friend meant you listened to his prophesy and hearkened to his words. Being his friend meant you changed your ways and turned toward God. Jesus tells us in today's Gospel how important it is to listen to the counsel of friends.
One more thing: Tis the season of good will toward all, but sometimes what I need is a kick in the pants. As a mom who works from home, it's easy for me to isolate myself. I connect to friends via email and facebook, maybe the occasional skype. My friendships consist of snippets and jovial comments. What I really need are friends like Elijah; ones who help me prepare for the coming of Christ. Friends who are willing to tell me when I'm straying from the right path. I resolve in the next week to re-connect with a friend and actually have a face to face conversation about how we both are preparing for the coming of our Lord.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the friends you have given me who help me draw closer to you. Help me to nurture these friendships so that I can recognize your direction for my life through the counsel of my friends. In your name I pray, Amen. St. Damasus, pray for me.