Drawn to Love in Community

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today connect us with the joy of living and working in a community of support even as they call forth the grief of separation from loved ones.

Working in community

Paul is described in the Acts of the Apostles as finding fellowship and support in his work in Corinth that is fruitful in spreading the Word.

* [18:8] Crispus: in 1 Cor 1:14 Paul mentions that Crispus was one of the few he himself baptized at Corinth.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus recognizes the grief that His disciples will experience in His absence.

Jeanne Schuler recalls that being left behind leaves a sting that is hard to forget.

When Jesus died, his followers grieved.  They too died. But the story was not over.  What felt final was not the end. “In a little while,” something stirred within.  God’s presence filled them in a new way. Fear gave way to assurance and strength.  Jesus’ puzzling words became real: “I am in you and you are in me.” Aroused by the Spirit, they returned to life and their new journey began.

Don Schwager’s meditation today asks how "weeping" and "rejoicing" go together as he quotes a sermon on Christ our physician, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"God sent the human race a physician, a savior, One Who healed without charging a fee. Christ also came to reward those who would be healed by Him. Christ heals the sick, and He makes a gift to those whom He heals. And the gift that He makes is Himself!" (excerpt from Sermon 102,2)

The Word Among Us website reflects in a prayer “Father, I am grateful for every word of love you have inscribed in my heart.”

As you go about your day today, try to discover your inscription. Your Father’s love never fades, never changes, never weakens. His special words to you are just as clear today as they were a month, a year, even decades ago. The joy he gave you then, the hope he poured out on you before, is still fresh and new today. Your Father is capable of making everything new again, even his words for you. So feel free to recall these words whenever you face temptation or frustration. Their “newness” can go a long way in helping you gain victory. Nothing can stand against God’s promises. In the light of his love, all darkness will be scattered and overcome!

Friar Jude Winkler describes how Paul joined a community in Corinth and worked with the tent makers and Jews and Gentiles joined the faith. The disciples await when He rises and their grief will become joy. Friar Jude notes how some suffering has consequences of growing in love.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that our tradition suggests that it is very difficult to live a life of integrity apart from the support, encouragement, witness, challenge and celebration of a community.

I am interested to see many more forms of intentional community than what we see today. . . . I would like to see the equivalent of Jesuit Volunteer Corps communities connected to every parish, where young people might commit to live for a term of two or three years, committed to the work of justice and peacemaking. [2] I would like to see the parish encourage members to purchase homes in the vicinity of one another and in neighborhoods where there is greatest need, as an expression of the parish’s work. . . . I would like to see every parish have a version of a L’Arche community. [3] I am interested in the construction of simple homes, affordable and available for both poor and rich, to create neighborhoods where all can live and interact and be helpful to each other.

We need support from others to live in a way that supports others.

References


(n.d.). CHAPTER 18 Paul in Corinth. 1 After this he left Athens and went to .... Retrieved May 10, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/acts18.htm

(n.d.). CHAPTER 16 John.... Retrieved May 10, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/john/16:16

(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 10, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 10, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved May 10, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 10, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/