What holds our communities together

I was struck this morning by some words in the Office of Readings, from a Letter of Pope St Clement I to the Corinthians.  All the more powerful in that he lived in the very first century, dying around 100AD (almost within touching distance of some at least of the first disciples), and he is considered the first of the Church Fathers.  St Clement warns us that the more gifted a person is, the more that person requires to put the community before himself: ‘A person may be faithful; he may have the power to utter hidden mysteries; he may be discriminating in the evaluation of what is said and pure in his actions. But the greater he seems to be, the more humbly he ought to act, and the more zealous he should be for the common good rather than his own interest.’  Since the Secular Carmelites are all about community, this is of fundamental importance to us.  Communities can be undermined when an individual develops an excessive sense of self-importance.  My relation to my community is a part of the whole tapestry and I need to nurture my humility in the school of community.  But lest we imagine that internal group conflicts are a new thing, St Clement reminds us of the contrary: ‘ Why are there strife and passion, schisms and even war among you? Do we not possess the same Spirit of grace which was given to us and the same calling in Christ? Why do we tear apart and divide the body of Christ? Why do we revolt against our own body? Why do we reach such a degree of insanity that we forget that we are members of one another?’

Intercessions:

Brian Davis – cancer

Cancer: Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Sue B, Theresa K

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS - housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill