Why we are community
A reading today from Paul’s Letter to the Romans (12:6-14) that clearly spells out what a Christian community should look like and act like. Here, in chapter 12 of this heavily theological letter, he touches us not with theology but with the philanthropy that’s at the heart of Christianity. God’s philanthropy has brought salvation to us. Paul here describes what it is to be a community that reflects divine philanthropy.
If you read this passage closely, it describes what a Christian community should be. A group of people that are not together simply because they pay membership dues or because they have some common background or vote for the same political party. That would be a description of a club, not a Christian community.
Even baptism does not define a Christian community. Are we all baptised? Okay, but didn’t we also receive “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in our baptism? Where is that Holy Spirit in our lives; what’s the Holy Spirit doing? What the Holy Spirit is doing is what defines a community! What Paul describes is a community where the Holy Spirit is fully active in every member of that community. No sitters-by, everyone is actively involved in manifesting the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Paul takes it for granted, as a given, that in a Christian community there will be plenty of “spiritual gifts”: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. Spiritual gifts: prophecy – service – teaching – encouragement – financial support – helper – merciful. And then he moves beyond spiritual gifts into the values and behaviours that make a Christian community: Love, love of the good, brotherly affection, honour, zeal, spirit of service, joy, patience, prayer, generosity, hospitality, an attitude of blessing others, even enemies!
Many times our English translations of the Bible do not accurately represent the full force of the Hebrew and the Greek originals. “Let love be genuine” – actually, Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος – literally, love without hypocrisy…. τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες – be aflame, be on fire with the Spirit…. τὴν φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες. “Practice hospitality” is a weak translation. The verb διώκω is strong, even aggressive – pursue hospitality, look for opportunities to be hospitable! One of the monks of the desert used to say: “We always treat guests as angels – just in case.” Jean Vanier wrote: “Welcome is one of the signs that a community is alive. To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren’t afraid, that we have a treasure of truth and of peace to share.”
How are we doing according to the description of community life that Paul gives us? Are we doing well? Moderately well? Unfortunately when people choose which church they will attend they almost never do according to the description Paul gave us. People choose churches because of better sermons, or shorter sermons, or because they’re more traditional or more “spiritual” – whatever that means; everyone is “spiritual” these days. Jean Vanier said something about this too: “Stop wasting time running after the perfect community. Live your life fully in your community today.”
God did not establish the church so we can be consumers of religion, so we can go shopping for a church that fits our preferences. God gave us mission. Jesus called us to be the light of the world, salt of the earth. But because we cannot do these things alone, he made us the church – he made us the church! – so we can work together and be the light and the salt of the earth. That is the reason why we are community. Listen to this prayer by Peggy de Cuehlo, a Christian woman of Uruguay. It needs no further comment.
Lord, you placed me in the world
to be its salt.
I was afraid of committing myself,
afraid of being stained by the world.
I did not want to hear what “they” might say.
And my salt dissolved as if in water.
Forgive me, Jesus.
Lord, you placed me in the world
to be its light.
I was afraid of the shadows,
afraid of the poverty.
I did not want to know other people.
And my light slowly faded away.
Forgive me, Jesus.
Lord, you placed me in the world
to live in community.
Thus you taught me to love,
to share in life,
to struggle for bread and for justice,
your truth incarnate in my life.
So be it, Jesus.