Clergy: Thank you for being a friend: The necessity of friendship during Lent
One of my favorite theme songs from my childhood was that of “The Golden Girls.” All it takes is hearing those opening notes, and immediately I’m taken back to sitting with my grandmother in the living room watching TV. Precious memories: I felt joy, safety, and love with her. The song opens with a simple but profound statement: “Thank you for being a friend ... ” The theme, built around the song “Thank You for Being a Friend,” has endured for generations, not just because it’s catchy, but because it tells a simple truth about the journey we take with the people we care about and love.
The lyrics say, “Traveled down the road and back again…” Isn’t that how life turns out? The roads we travel are full of hills, twists and turns. We encounter routes that are smooth and rocky. We go forward, make U-turns, and double back. We lose our way, and sometimes we find ourselves back on the right path. The beauty of it all is that, often, we are not alone: we are blessed to have friends along for the journey.
To me, this is why friendship matters, and why during the Lenten season friendship becomes all the more important. Lent offers an opportunity for self-reflection, repentance and preparation. It is a season where we slow down, examine our hearts and wrestle with who we are, who we’ve been and who we are becoming. That kind of reflection can become heavy. It brings up questions we pushed aside, dreams we have quieted, and grief we have never fully processed.
The song continues: “Your heart is true; you’re a pal and a confidant.” This is why we all need someone safe enough to hold the truth of our hearts. Someone with whom, in this judgmental world, we can be fully ourselves. Each of us needs someone who hears our fears without minimizing them, listens to our dreams and encourages us forward, and is willing to sit with us in our pain without rushing us through it. Now at the end of my 30s, I understand more than ever that friendship is not a luxury, it is a necessary lifeline.
Lent holds up a mirror to what I call our “wild wilderness seasons.” These are the times when life feels like it’s unraveling, when things feel uncertain, when we feel spiritually empty or emotionally overwhelmed. Even seasons of growth can feel uncomfortable. And in those moments, a friend is essential. The song continues, “And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew…” At first, the lyric feels light, almost a throwaway. But underneath is a deeper truth: the blessing of being surrounded. It reminds me of Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses ... let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” It is a reminder that we don’t have to do life alone. Real friendship isn’t just about those who show up for the kickback, it’s about those who show up in the pain. It’s about the friends who pick up the phone when you need them most, who stop by when it feels like your world is falling apart, who sit with you with no words, just their presence.
During this Lenten season, this kind of friendship pulls at the depth of what love truly is.
Dear reader, know that friendship is sacred, for it is one of the clearest lenses through which we experience love in our lives. It reminds us that each of us needs a community, people who walk beside us, who know us, and who help carry the weight when life becomes burdensome. So, my friend, during this Lenten season, press into intentional friendship. Reach out and reconnect. And most importantly, don’t miss the chance to say to the people who matter most: Thank you for being a friend.
The Rev. Paul McReynolds is the pastor of Fairbrook United Methodist Church on Whitehall Road.