Together

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Scripture: John 17:20 – 23

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message… Read more…

Looking to Sunday

by Elaine Poproski

I’m reading a little book titled The Spirituality of Community, in which the author begins her introduction this way: “If I could paraphrase Scripture to reflect my years in pastoral ministry, the Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter 18, verse 20, would read differently. Jesus’ promise, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,’ would change to, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name…challenges emerge, thus I have to be in their midst!'” [1]

It’s funny because it’s true.

Relationships are hard. Being part of a community is hard. Being part of anything that requires us to be with others is hard. For it to work, we have to be willing and able to compromise at times. It can’t be all about me and it can’t be all about you. This is the model Jesus set when he washed his disciples’ feet before their last supper together and then instructed them to do likewise.

Community – true community – takes shape when all the members understand their responsibility to serve the other. But as we all know, sometimes we don’t feel like serving; sometimes we can’t serve the other; sometimes we’d rather the other would just go home and leave us alone. That’s the reality of our human-ness this side of heaven. Sin gets in the way of community every time. Thank God for his unending grace that overcomes sin daily and makes community possible even when we erect and preserve barriers and hostilities between ourselves.

Last week we spent some time talking about the metaphor of the body for the church. We also talked about the statement from Ephesians 2:13-15, in which we’re told that Jesus created in himself one new humanity. We talked about the church as a community of people defined by their common faith in and dependence on Jesus.[2] We’re continuing that conversation this week, with a particular focus on unity and diversity as necessary (and really difficult) characteristics of Christian community.

As you prepare for Sunday, perhaps spend some time considering your own experience of community. Have you ever been part of a community in which you were quite different from others in the group? Did you experience belonging? What contributed to that experience (of belonging or not belonging)?

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[1] Adele J. Gonzalez. The Spirituality of Community. (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2009), 11.

[2] You can listen to last week’s sermon or read it here.