One of those central untouched aspects of the spirit of Opus Dei turns around friendship: our surrounded by friends, how we deepen in them, experience them, encourage our friends, get help from them. The Beatles used to say I Get By with A little Help from my Friends. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967.

How painful that must have been when some disciples stopped going with him, after the discourse of the bread of Life in John 6. These were not simply followers that had accepted his ideas, they were his friends. They could have disagreed with what he said, but stayed as his faithful friends. Things would eventually fall into place. Yet then some left.

John 6, 61: "Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?  Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?

Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Copper Ridge Conference Center in Britannia Beach, July 31, 2022.

Music: Beatles, With A Little Help From My Friends (Remastered 2009) · The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ℗ 2009 Calderstone Productions Limited (a division of Universal Music Group)

Released on: 1967-06-01 Producer: George Martin. Composer  Lyricist: John Lennon. Composer  Lyricist: Paul McCartney

Music at beginning and end: Guitar arranged by Bert Alink, Mossy Garden.

Thumbnail: Christ Calling His First Disciples, by Adam Brenner (1800–1891) from Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

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