The Way of Christ

There was a time when I thought I could live on the farm, never see anyone, never speak to anyone, and be content.  One of the things I learned about myself after some time had been spent at the farm was that while I value solitude and silence, being completely alone is not who I am.  The ancient Desert Fathers and the mystics did it, but I have a need for people that I simply cannot ignore.  

When God was doing the creation thing about which we read in Genesis, it was not enough to create man.  In the Creation narrative, we hear the Lord God saying, "It is not good that the man should be alone."  (Genesis 2:18).  In a short time there were families and communities where people shared life together.  There may be some who are called to live as hermits and find fulfillment in that lifestyle, but it is not something for the most of us.  We need one another.  We need the touch of others on our life and we need to touch the lives of those around us.  Even as the Garden of Eden speaks of the woman being a helper, so do we all need helpers in our life.  It matters not if we are male or female.

To acknowledge our need for helpers is to recognize that others need us to be their helpers.  In the letter to the churches of Galatia, the Apostle Paul wrote, "Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2).  Those words can be understood as Paul reminding the community to love one another.  We cannot bear the burdens of others, or love others in isolation.  It can only happen in a community.  The community may be small or large, but we all need one because it is within the community that we fulfill the way of Christ.