Not Either/Or Rather, Both/And
Please know I am not writing on this week’s Gospel. Instead, I am picking up a thread from last week’s Gospel that won’t let me go.
As you may recall, last week, the Gospel instructed us on what to do when we are in conflict with someone. At the end of the Gospel, there is a line that is not to be overlooked. It is, “Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst.”
When the number of people who claim religion is decreasing, we should not overlook this line. A recent study by CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Americas) indicated that the group growing exponentially when asked about their Church affiliation is the “None’s.” That is the number of people who, when asked what religion they belong to, reply None. These are the people who identify with no Church and no faith tradition. Most of the “None’s” claim they are spiritual but not religious in their traditional understanding of Church membership.
We all know from our own families that the research is correct. In our families, fewer and fewer of the children and grandchildren of our generation claim membership in a Church community. But they do quickly acknowledge their spiritual affinity. They recognize their soul’s search for God.
There are all kinds of reasons and excuses why this is so. Claims of busyness, disinterest in organized religion, believing in my own way, Church scandals, and many other claims give the root to those who are “None’s.”
As a generation that began with the Baltimore Catechism, we are frustrated and frankly worried about the souls of our children and grandchildren. We worry that when life’s tragedies strike them, they will not have anything to hang onto that will root them in hope and promise. There will be nothing to link them to God. It is a legitimate fear.
With the death of my Aunt recently, my cousins and I became the “older generation.” We became the wisdom figures for our family. So are you. And yet, what wisdom can we provide to the generations that follow us? What can we give the next generations who do not identify as Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, or anything else?
As people who have been around the block of life a few times, we know personal spirituality is simply not enough. We are created as people built for community. We are not intended to be isolated in our living or our faith.
The Gospel calls us to community. A faith community is not for God’s benefit. It is for us. We gather strength from the community for living. We develop connections and are rooted with people who seek the same things we do: a God of love, a Kingdom of God that begins here and now, the strength and hope to face life’s difficulties. That is what a faith community gives us. That is all good.
Yet, we also must hear the wisdom of the “None’s.” Spirituality is nurtured and strengthened in our own hearts. Faith needs a vital center in the individual. Personal faith and relationship with God is as essential as oxygen is for life.
Jesus told us this truth in words and actions. Jesus told us to go apart when we pray, to close the door, and to be one with God. Jesus also modeled this behavior when, time and again, He went apart to pray. Jesus also told them that He is there with them when they gather together as a community.
I am unsure how we encourage the next generations to find strength in a faith community. Maybe we can start by humbly asking them to share their wisdom. Perhaps we learn how they develop a personal relationship with God.
We may all become more whole and holy through our lived witness and willingness to learn. Personal spirituality is as critical as Church membership. We all have part of the wisdom we need to be willing to learn from each other.
The Gospel calls us to both personal spirituality and shared faith in community. It is not an either/or. It is a both/and.
In God’s Unending Love,
Gwen
