Summary:
Brett boldly initiates an unscripted, unplanned, honest conversation about his friendship with Jake and various things getting in the way of their fellowship.

 

Key points:
- Brett apologizes for not being a good friend as of late
- Suggestions and interpretations can given from the evil one
- We can harbour negative interpretations and reactions that aren’t good for relationships
- Deep brotherhood is unfortunately uncommon
- The interpretation(s) we make of someone’s actions, or lack thereof, are very powerful and potentially damaging
- There is great value to acknowledge if something seems off in an important relationship and talk about it
- Addressing the reality of a relationship can be scary
- We can just let the weeds take over a relationship
- We have to fight for the things that matter
- “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure. There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence. A faithful friend is an elixir of life; and those who fear the Lord will find him.” (Sirach 6:14-16)
- It’s important to acknowledge and address our “brother wounds”
- Generally, there are two types of wounds: A - absence of something that should have been there, B - some bad that happened
- The intensity and duration of wounds are other factors that matter
- Dr. Bob Schuchts is a great Catholic psychologist who offers healing retreats

 

Discussion Questions:
- What struck you from this episode?
- What gets in the way of your friendships with other men?
- What friend might you need to repair with? How can you do that?

 

Resources:
- “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship” (St. Thomas Aquinas)
- Dr. Bob Schuchts