Fraternal life, the sacrament of brotherhood and communion
We cannot sanctify ourselves alone. Especially in the world we live in – we cannot do it alone. And if we are not together, we fall apart.
essions in Paray, 09-21/07/77
"From prayer group to community"
7 MINUTES
Living in communion with one another is a keystone of Christian life. We are given the grace of brothers and sisters and a community life. But “being brother and sister” doesn’t always come without its difficulties. Pierre Goursat was well aware of this.
However, “We must keep moving ahead, and we can’t do this alone; only together can we really move forward” he says.
How do we meet the challenge of living in communion with one another? How do we learn to love others, knowing and serving them in goodwill? Through humility, and by following the example of Pierre Goursat, we can discover the treasure of fraternal charity, through which we encounter Christ and grow in holiness.
It's vital to be willing to do small services on all sides – which we are asked to do because this creates love, joy, and loving kindness in the community.
Brotherhood of Jesus Retreat, Easter 82
They share
WHAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER
Fraternal support
To stand alone as a Christian in our world is difficult. But in being part of a community, we can support each other. If we carry each other, we will win together.
Brotherly love
A community has little chance of succeeding if it relies on human strength alone. There is so much that separates us, because we are so different! Only the spirit of love can bring us together and create strong bonds that unite us. Let us thank the Lord for the gift of His Spirit, and ask Him to increase this brotherly love between us.
A community enabling action
We are happy to experience the grace of community. But as Pierre Goursat said: "We are not here just to bill and coo together." The Lord gives us the grace of community so that we can pass on what we have received to a world that desperately needs it.
No criticism
In this world, we spend a lot of time criticising each other. If we carry on like this, it will be difficult to grow in love with each other! So let's avoid criticising people and ask Christ to let us see others through His eyes.
To love one another as God has loved us does not seem easy, but it is very easy when He has given us His Love. The Holy Spirit loves us, and we are united by Him, so it's easy! And I promise you that we experienced this when we started our little community without really knowing why we were together. There were days when we thought: "What on earth is He doing with me?" and then we said: "The Holy Spirit is here – it's amazing!
Community weekend, 27-28/11/76
To love one another as God has loved us does not seem easy, but it is very easy when He has given us His Love. The Holy Spirit loves us, and we are united by Him, so it's easy! And I promise you that we experienced this when we started our little community without really knowing why we were together. There were days when we thought: "What on earth is He doing with me?" and then we said: "The Holy Spirit is here – it's amazing!
Community weekend, 27-28/11/76
