Common Life

In every Divine Liturgy we proclaim our common life in Christ when we pray, “Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.” We do not commend our unison lives to Christ. We commend our life, singular, to Christ. That should mean something.

Brethren, let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, shun the worship of idols. I speak as to sensible men: judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of the demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

1^st Corinthians 10.12-22

As Saint Paul reminds us today, we are united to Christ in our baptism, and we share one body with Him. Since we share one body with Him, we share one body with each other as the Church. This is also why Saint Paul says our temptation is common to man. We are all tempted.

We aren’t just tempted individually, but as the Church. Every time we are tempted to live in exclusion of each other, we are being tempted to destroy the common life of the Church. This is one reason we confess our sins to the Church. We affect each other, like it or not.

Since, not if, our actions affect each other we must take responsibility for our choices. In Holy Confession we ask the Church to forgive us for ‘bringing sin into the Church’, and the Church, through the priest, forgives us. In Holy Confession we are forgiven by God and the Church.

Some think the Sacrament of Holy Confession is not necessary. The dual benefit of forgiveness from God and the Church has great benefit. Through Holy Confession the entire Church is being obedient to Christ’s commandment to forgive each other. It may not be public, but it is real.

In the same way, our common ascesis is also important. The Church shares a common life of prayer. We do not just sit in Church praying next to each other. We are in Church praying one common prayer as a singular body.

When the celebrant commands, “Let us pray to the Lord,” he isn’t suggesting we sit quietly in the corner and pray whatever we want. Our common life of prayer becomes real in the worship of the Church with every ‘Amen’ and every ‘Lord have mercy.’ Personal prayer belongs at home.

Our common is not limited to prayer. Our fasting is common. Our morality is common. Our belief is common. There would be a lot less turmoil in the Church if we lived the reality of our common life. After all, it was the common life of the Apostolic Church that converted Rome to Christ.

It is painfully clear that our world is gradually returning to paganism. Rather than posting useless memes on social media, maybe if the world witnessed our common life as Christ intended, at least some would pay attention. Some may even choose to believe.