Disrupted Community
Of the essence of the Christian faith is communion – we are not a collection of individuals, but a Body, a people – we are saved in community, saved into the Church. We are “living stones” in the spiritual house of God (1 Pet. 2:5), various members of the one Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12ff.) Humanity is created in community, and redeemed in community.
And yet, here we are in the time of the virus, most of us cut off from our normal in-person social lives, and many churches not gathering as normal for public worship. Our public response to the Coronavirus pandemic has driven us apart from one another, cloistering into our homes. Our response to the virus has health effects (positive, we hope) and dire economic effects, but also a significant sociological impact. We cannot live healthy human lives, let alone healthy Christian lives, alone for long. a
And yet, in our focus on the corporate life of the people of God, we must not neglect the call to a personal spiritual life. The Christian life is essentially corporate, ecclesial; our primary nourishment is not individual devotions, but hearing the Word read and preached in the Divine Liturgy; our primary prayer is when we join our voices together as the people of God in the assembly; we are fed as we gather together at the Lord’s Table week-by-week. We are created, and redeemed in community, and yet we all need times of solitude. We need times of quiet during which we can “withdraw to desolate places and pray.” (Lk. 5:16) The ecclesial life of the disciple feeds the individual life of devotion. The disciple who develops a healthy, quiet, individual devotion bears greater fruit among the community of disciples. Yes, the corporate life of the Church is primary, but the relationship between the communal life of discipleship and the quiet devotion in solitude is reciprocal.
In our present context, many of us have been forced into isolation This has resulted in a palpable loneliness. Even those of us who are introverts quickly come to miss normal human interaction with the outside world before long. And loneliness is deadly. How can we respond when we are forced into isolation? At the risk of sounding cliche, we need to see this trial as an opportunity for maturation. Where is God leading us in this?
Well, for many, this forced isolation has served already to open their eyes to the importance of community life (whether the community life of the Church, or community more broadly.) Quarantine has created a greater hunger for life together, and for that we can be thankful. But what do we do with our time alone?
From Loneliness to Fruitful Solitude
“What if the events of our history are molding us as a sculptor molds his clay, and if it is only in a careful obedience to these molding hands that we can discover our real vocation and become mature people?” Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out, p. 37
In Reaching Out Henri Nouwen describes three movements of the spiritual life. The first movement is the movement from loneliness to solitude. Nouwen wisely diagnosed his contemporary, Western society with overwhelming loneliness. Forty-five years later the diagnosis is just as true, if not more so. Now, in forced isolation that loneliness is magnified. Physically separated from society we are acutely aware of just how disconnected and lonely we have all become. Life in the Spirit, however, leads to a conversion of loneliness into a fruitful solitude.
This, I have come to believe, is one of the lessons the Lord would have me, and perhaps you, learning during our quarantine. Convert the keen sense of loneliness that we may feel to a fruitful solitude. Find ways to grow in solitude that will make us more fruitful disciples when our normal community lives are restored. “Solitude,” Nouwen says, “does not pull us away from our fellow human beings but instead makes real fellowship possible.” b
Quarantine serves to pinpoint areas in our lives that are in need of growth. I venture to say that all of us have room to grow in our prayer lives; this is a great time to seek growth in that discipline. If you’re stuck at home, dive into the Psalms. Read them. Pray them. Sing them. Get into the practice of praying the Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer. It can be easy to fall into patterns of laziness, drawn into our phones and social media. Don’t let that happen.
In solitude, we come to greater knowledge of ourselves, often painfully. Calvin says that true and sound wisdom “consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” c A growing knowledge of God brings to light truths about ourselves, our condition, areas of our lives where we need to work out our salvation to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel. This self-knowledge will, as Calvin says, in turn drive us to greater love of God.
I’ve been using the terms “solitude” and “isolation,” but in fact for many we are not completely alone. We are quarantined with our families, and this concentrated time with our spouses and children brings to light areas in need of growth as well. Use this time to develop patterns of prayer with your family, to grow in your love for spouse and children, to learn more about these people with whom you live. Concentrated, prolonged proximity can lead us to greater irritability towards one another, or it can give us opportunity to die to ourselves in love and service for each other. Let your quarantine with your family work in you a readiness to respond to others in love that will bear fruit once our full community life is restored.
It is my prayer that our time of solitude will make our community lives all the richer on the other side of this.
