Nature and Purpose of Relationships The nature and purpose of relationships • Created as relational beings • Love: cornerstone of all relationships . We are made in the image and likeness of God. God calls us to a vocation of love. We learn to love by understanding how God loves. Talk about the Trinity

God created us male and female in His image God created us male and female in His image. Being made male and female comes with a certain complementarity between us to be able to love one another and receive love from one another. Being made in the image of God, or the imago Dei, means that we are literally made in the image of Love Himself. God is love, so we are made by Love, in Love, for love, and made to love.

A Vocation of Love It can be confusing in today’s world to know the true meaning of love. The type of love that God demonstrates for us and gives to us is charity. Charity inspires a life of self giving. There are many ways that we use the term love in our society, although not all love is true charity. In every relationship with other people, whether it be friendship, family relationships, romantic relationships, or marriage, we are called to a vocation of loving as God loves — self giving love, or charity.

This means that we are called to build each other up, not just to be stronger or smarter, but to reach our ultimate vocation of Heaven. Friendships can help us become saints. We can have holy, uplifting conversations and pray with our friends. We can encourage one another and help each other when we are struggling with sin

We are all called to practice the virtue of chastity in our relationships with others. Chastity is the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his body and spiritual being. In other words, chastity is what allows us to be authentic versions of ourselves, true to who we are called to be. Chastity also means treating others with respect, out of a desire to give to others and never acting out of a selfish desire to take. Love is not just an emotion, but an action. Love is willing the good of another.

That is to say, we not only desire their good, but we also do what it takes to make it happen. Chastity can be seen in friendships, dating relationships, and marriages because everyone is called to this virtue. Friendship can truly help us become saints! Just like Sts. Scholastica and Benedict, we can have holy, uplifting conversations and pray with our friends. We can encourage one another and help each other when we are struggling with sin.

Friendship We spoke of a harmony between man and creation, man and God, and man and woman before the Fall. This “harmony” is known as Original Justice. Our original state of justice was lost after the Fall, but God works through the Sacraments and through grace to bring us back into relationship with Him and all of creation (including one another). God is always calling us back to Himself; it’s just a matter of how we listen. This “harmony” with God and others can also be seen as a “friendship.”

Goal of Friendship The goal of friendship is not just companionship; it is to help the other person to get to heaven. Friendship is an essential part of who we are because we are social beings, made for communion. We are created to be in relationship with God and with one another. If you want to have a friendship with God, spend time with Him, talk to Him, visit Him in Adoration, go to Mass to give Him love and worship, and share everything with Him — all of your thoughts, feelings, hurts, and hopes