It's Communio

I am surrounded in church by eternal talk of community, by people who espouse great ideas of love and concern.  Then I have an experience with them of our shared reality and think - are we looking at the same reality?  Such nearly unreal thinking and talk seem to be what make church tick but so much of it is talk as when the crunch comes - where is community?  When you really need someone - where are they?  When there is an issue - where is the compassion, the rational thought?  Love and community can be used as one's smoke screen or front for something else sought.  The question can be - What is one's real agenda?

I am expected to listen to everyone else, and I try my best, but at times I find myself asking - Who listens to me?  I am expected to give and do for the other, and I try my best, but I find at times asking - When will it all just take a break?  Then, no matter how hard you try, when you do not deliver as others may want or like, they become difficult, complaining, confronting but of course remaining ever loving and acting as good members of the community.  Fascinating.  What to make of it? 

When someone does not get the listening ear they want or the style of service they expect, why don't they just stand back and think for a moment - no one means anyone any harm and everyone is doing their best with who they are.  Then the old adage from scripture studies comes to the fore - unity within diversity.  What a great motto for love and community.  I would propose that what we are really searching for is not community but communio, a coming together of hearts and minds.  .