Jesus’ friendship is a friendship which is deep, genuine, loyal and total, as all true friendship must be. This is how young people ought to relate to one another, for youth without friendship is impoverished and diminished. Friendship is nourished by sacrifice for the sake of serving one’s friends and truly loving them. And without such sacrifice there can be no real friendship, no truly healthy youth, no future for one’s country, no genuine religion. (John Paul II, L’Osservatore Romano, Feb 4, 1998, p 3)

This is true not only for young people but for all. Sacrifice is key to any true friendship. Jesus himself made this clear. “Greater love no one has than to lay down his life for his friend.”  Friendship is not based on what is in this for me or what will I get out of this relationship. Rather, it is rooted in the realization that because of the other I am willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for me to show my love, to show how important that person is. Maybe, that is why some friendships are superficial and do not last. There is no thought of sacrifice of self for the other, but of using the other for me. How much are you willing to sacrifice for your friend?