"And they devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" Acts 2:42
I'm a bad Catholic. No really I am. Some might say I'm kind of typical, but I hope that's not true. I've got higher standards for us Catholics and I hope I'm just at the top of the bottom of the rung right now. I say this because a few weeks ago I heard a great homily at my new parish that really struck home. But I can't for the life of me tell you what the gospel was about...
So not knowing the Bible is just one knock against us Catholics. (Amanda & I are trying to change that perception: Every few weeks we put up a new Bible passage on our bulletin board in the kitchen and try to memorize it with the kids. Right now we're on "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in My love." John 15:9- Pretty good huh honey- I did that off of memory :) )
But often Protestants will ask us if we have a personal relationship with Christ. Many times they're met with blanks stares and sometimes Catholics find themselves leaving the Church in search of that personal relationship with Christ. Other times a Catholic might say "yeah- I do. I visit Him everyday in Adoration."
I hope the second option is the more common one- but it's not always true. This homily pointed out that while our faith begins with our personal relationship with Christ, it doesn't end there. In fact it can't end there. Think about it: Even a Catholic monk living off by himself on some mountain top is living in community. How you might ask? Most likely he is praying the liturgy of the hours.
I LOVE the liturgy of the hours. No matter where you are in the world, no matter if you're in a room or on a mountain top all by yourself, there is always someone else praying the liturgy of the hours with you! These are a series of prayers that are said throughout the day. There is morning prayer, mid day prayer, evening prayer, and night prayer. Along with a number of other prayers that can be said in between. No matter which you choose to pray- it's mid day somewhere in the world and those prayers are being said by at least a priest if not someone else. That's pretty cool!
While this is great reassurance if I'm ever feeling lonely liturgy of the hours was not the point of the homily. (In fact I don't think it was even mentioned.) The point of the homily was communion. Fellowship! Gathering together in Jesus' name and LIVING life!
That's when life really happens. Today's Office of Readings said "As He says of Himself: 'I am a God close at hand, not a God far off." Well where do we see Him? How do we experience Him? The answer? With each other!
Amanda & I had the great opportunity to travel to Denver last weekend for Fr. John & Fr. Paul's ordination to the priesthood. It turned out that the Ordination itself was only the cherry on top of a great weekend. We gathered with friends I hadn't seen in almost 10 years & others I hadn't ever met before this event. People of all walks of life came together to celebrate this great occasion. Father John actually arranged for Amanda & I to stay with a young family we had never met. Hey! Free lodging and food right! But it was so much more. We made life time friends this weekend.
Why? Was it our common love for the Servants?
No. That was just one thing we could talk about... No. It was our love for Christ that bonded us and all those around the world who love Christ together!
The experience in Denver made Amanda & I realize what we miss. You see, when you've got a community that you live with... then that's when Christ really makes things happen. We had that in Illinois and we're still looking for it here in Georgia.
We don't despair though! No, one of the many things we can take away from our experience in Illinois is that it takes time to build not only friendships, but Christian Community. It starts with friendships and moves onto something bigger.
Why is community so important? Well, it helps bring you out of yourself. A great example came last night. Amanda & I joined a home Bible study group at our church. We met for the first time last night. We were really excited going into it. A few things went awry from the beginning. The first, it turns out while the study was kid friendly; we were the only ones who brought along little ones. Second, we were the youngest there by a good 10 years. Not that there is anything wrong with that (right Paul M?)- it just made it a little harder to connect. But our biggest concern leaving our first night of study, with a group that had seemed to know each other fairly well, was when in our introductory chapter some more personal questions came up and the response we got from the group was "well that's something to think about at home."
I wanted to yell "No! Let's talk about it! This is how we'll grow. This is how iron sharpens iron!" but I was just the new guy... the weird one who brought his kids. We're still debating if we should go back. I'm sure there are relationships to be made there, friendships to be had. There is only one way for a group like that to grow and that is for all the members to stick with it... and take chances.
But chances only come when friendships have been made or a deeper relationship with Christ has been found.
"Then in very truth he dwells in us, the one who said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. If we are worthy of his presence with us, then in truth we are made alive by him as his living members. As the apostle says: In him we live and move and have our being." (Thursday- 7th week in Ordinary Time OoR).
When we have discovered this personal relationship with Jesus Christ we discover that He has given us so much. He has given us everything! What are we to do with that? The natural reaction I find is to give back. His love is too much in a sense! I can't keep it all for myself. I overflow. This is where community comes in. It is those we live among and spend our time with that we give to first. As that community begins to overflow we then branch out to others. Sharing our faith, yes with words, but all the more in our actions.
Thanks for listening! God bless,
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