Friendships are deep and fulfilling connections with other people. They start out as a simple interaction and continue to grow and blossom through shared experiences and special moments with each other. It may not be as intimate as a romantic relationship, but the strongest of friendships can last a lifetime, and the bond can even be stronger than blood because you are not obligated to help and comfort and enjoy each other’s company but still choose to. Knowing that we have a loyal friend to rely on and that there are people who love and adore us just as much is a wonderful feeling to have.
Praying for the friendships we have is just as important as praying for our friends. Aside from praying for our friends’ safety, well-being, and happiness, we should also pray for our connection with them–that it will be strong enough to withstand trials and the test of time.
Prayer for friendship
Heavenly Father,
I humbly submit myself to Your glorious presence with awe and wonder. You are my greatest Friend, the One who knows all my secrets, my woes, my joys, my dreams. You know me more than I know myself.
The relationship I have formed with you has not been an easy one. Many times, I have disobeyed Your will and questioned Your plans for me. There were times when I strayed away from You and chose to pursue earthly luxuries, forgetting all about Your commandments. There were times when I tried to conceal my sins from You, but You are our omniscient God, and You know everything. For these sins, O Lord, I ask for Your forgiveness and mercy. My wish is to get better, to become a better friend and servant for You. Strengthen me with Your Word and presence so that I may lift others up to You.
Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, for scolding me gently and correcting my ways when I stray from the path of righteousness. Thank You for giving me a chance to meet so many beautiful people, some of which have become my dearest friends. They have become my companions in life, the shoulders I cry on, the people who help when I need them most. Thank You for true friends who, instead of tolerating everything I do, show me whenever I’m wrong and teach me how I can correct and improve myself. I see You in my friends, Lord, and I am glad that You choose to remind me of our spiritual friendship through my earthly ones.
Lord, I humbly ask for strength in the friendships I have. I pray that I will form deep bonds with my friends that will hold firm against life’s trials. I pray that our friendships will be deeply rooted in You and Your Word and that You will be at the center of our friendships. In times of need, I hope You will be able to help me through the hands of my friends, and when the time comes when it’s my help they need, I hope You will use me to remind them that is is You watching over our friendship, and that it is You nurturing our love, care, and loyalty to each other. I pray for loyalty, that we may choose what is right for each other no matter how many times the devil will try to break us apart. Watch over us as we traverse through our own lives: may we never forget the memories we share no matter how far apart we are or how long since we last saw each other.
The friendships I have are a testament to Your boundless love, and I pray that You will keep these bonds strong and unyielding.
All these I ask in Your Glorious Name,
Amen.
Short Catholic prayer for friendship
Lord God, my greatest friend, I offer You this prayer of strength, loyalty, and faith for the friendships I have formed with the people whom I hold very close to my heart. I pray that our friendship will be rewarding and healthy and that it will bring us many memories to smile about. I hope that I will be a blessing to them just as much as they are a blessing to me.
This I humbly pray in Jesus’ Name.
Amen.
The Word of God
Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NRSVUE
Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other, but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NRSVUE
Intercessory prayer to Saint John
Saint John, you are a beacon of inspiration for friends who seek to strengthen their connections with each other. I admire you for your love and loyalty. Please lend me some of your time and hear my prayer as I ask for your guidance on bended knees. I pray for good friendships and loyal friends, for many wonderful shared moments with the people I love. I pray for a long and prosperous friendship where we can support each other through thick and thin, a friendship where I can spend my happiest moments with people whom I have considered family.
Saint John, hear my prayer and deliver my message to the Lord. Pray for my friends and me.
Amen.
Further reflection
The power of friendship is one that is often underestimated. The friends we choose to spend our time with will shape how we view the world around us and how we act and deal with daily issues. If we spend time with motivated people, we’ll wake up each day excited for the opportunities that await. If we have friends who enjoy gossip, we’ll spend a lot of time judging other people and staying updated about the latest events in other peoples’ lives instead of focusing on our own growth. Friendship has a powerful influence on the person we become, so remember to choose your friends wisely. Spend time with people whose principles are aligned with ours, people who have traits that we admire, and it won’t be long before we manifest these qualities.
Lastly, remember to pray a prayer for true friendship for each of your relationships. Put God at the center of your friendship, and it will last a lifetime: a lifetime of faith and growth that will compound through the years.
May your friendships be fruitful and pull you closer to the Lord.
