A pleasant voice multiplies friends and softens enemies, and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies. Let those that are at peace with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand. When you gain a friend, gain him through testing, and do not trust him hastily. For there is a friend who is such at his own convenience, but will not stand by you in your day of trouble . . . 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 6:5-8, 14-16. St. Maximilian Kolbe said, “God sends us friends to be our support in the whirlpool of struggle. In the company of friends, we will find strength to attain our sublime ideal.”

Let us pray, Loving Father, thank You for teaching us to have pleasant voices and gracious tongues so as to multiply friends and courtesies. Father, along our path bless us with good, faithful and sure friends and advisers who will stand by us in good and bad seasons; for us to lean on in trust. Amen. “Let your light shine!!” Be blessed. Larry.