The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Day 112: True Friendship (2026)
31 snips
Apr 22, 2026 A reflection on the deep bond between Jonathan and David and the dramatic test of loyalty in 1 Samuel 20. A tense scene of coded signals, political danger, and a tearful farewell. A reading of Psalm 142 as a cry for refuge while hiding. A look at Greek categories of love, highlighting rare virtuous friendship and its link to self-giving love.
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Jonathan's Arrow Signal And Tearful Farewell
- Jonathan devises a secret arrow signal and they weep, kiss, and swear covenant to protect David, sealing their lifelong bond.
- The field meeting includes a three-arrow code, a youth as courier, and a tearful goodbye ritual.
True Friendship Surpasses Affection And Desire
- True philia is rarer and deeper than storge or eros and unites friends in pursuit of virtue beyond themselves.
- Fr. Mike uses Jonathan and David to show philia as brotherly devotion aimed at God's glory and Israel's good, not erotic affection.
Eros Is Powerful Yet Fickle
- Eros is a powerful love of desire but is fickle and can move people to give or to take, so it isn't the highest form of love.
- Fr. Mike illustrates eros with Shakespearean examples like Romeo's shifting affections to show its instability.
