At my ritual of triennial (three-year) profession of vows on
Saturday, prioress Esther Fangman compared living in community to a sacrament. Linking
the two had never occurred to me, but if we understand sacrament to be a means
of divine grace and a symbol of a spiritual reality that is ordained by Jesus,
then community life is indeed a sacrament.
Jesus chose to live in community with his disciples, and at
his last supper he instructed us to serve one another, which requires living with
each other. As St. Basil said, “If you always live alone, whose feet will you
wash?” One could add, “And who will wash your feet?” The give and take of living
in community is a means of divine grace because it allows us to participate in
the spiritual reality of the life of the Trinity—“infinite outpouring and
infinite receiving,” as described by Fr. Richard Rohr. Living with others is
the key to knowing God by participating in the life of God—learning by doing. It
is learning how to humbly and joyfully give what you have and who you are, while
humbly and joyfully listening to everyone and receiving guidance and assistance
from those who have the skills and wisdom that you lack.
St. Benedict concludes Chapter 72 of his Rule with the words,
“…may he [Christ] bring us all together to everlasting life.” The sacrament of
community is the tool Christ uses to bring us all to everlasting life, which
is the only way the body of Christ can get there—together.
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