Joan Chittister has a piece on community in the National Catholic Reporter. Here are a few thoughts from it that have struck me and are worth reflecting on today:
"Community is a matter of the heart and the mind. It cannot be created by place alone, and it cannot be destroyed by distance alone. It is of the essence of the soul.
What we identify with, what gives us a sense of purpose, of belonging, of support is our community.
Community building does not just happen.
It cannot be taken for granted.
It requires both great faith and great trust that is generated by a continuing display of great human care that begins with me, and then comes back to me.
It takes a great deal of energy to create community...."
I think it takes a great deal of humility and love and prayer but we are all called to create community. Joan also speaks of virtual community that is just as real in many dimensions as physical presence.
I guess there is more of the "nitty-gritty" in living daily with each other and the cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, taking out the trash, are all part of the way we build community and show love for one another.
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