What does my community have to do with my relationship with God?
Communion and community come from God; isolation and division come from sin and the devil.
Fr. Mark-Mary describes how, in fact, heaven is the most intense communal experience imaginable. This desire for community—which will be fulfilled when we reach our true home—is not only written on our hearts, but all over creation.
Astrophysicists have observed that celestial bodies are constantly moving away from each other, and theorize that all the universe began in one place—hence, the big bang theory (see Trent Horn on the Big Bang Theory and Catholicism: https://bit.ly/2ZHLdk8)
Similarly, throughout human history there has been a movement away from others. Division after division has led us to individualism, which is a form of isolation.
But God has given us a desire for friendship and family. God is relationship and he wants us to enter into that relationship.
So here is Fr. Mark-Mary’s three-fold response to the movement toward isolation:
1) Commitment - God makes covenants, long-term commitments to community. Committed community is the ideal soil for cultivating holiness. It is essential.
2) Communication - Good intentions are not enough. Communication is essential to resolve conflicts and iron out details.
3) Courage - Entering into conflict is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes we have to enter uncomfortable situations when it comes to building community.
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. Communion is the extraordinary work of God. Let’s become the holy men and women the world needs by building holy communities through commitment, communication, and courage.