We Long for Each Other

Throughout human history we have lived in groups and families. This is by design from God. “It is not good that man should be alone.” (Genesis 2.18) God wasn’t talking about super bowl parties. He wants us to help each other find God. We are meant for Communion.

Brethren, God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.

Philippians 1:8-14

Saint Paul wants us to be each other’s strength in Christ. He wrote this epistle from prison, but he was still without despair. His longing to be with others wasn’t about getting out of jail. It was about being with them in Christ, to help them find Christ and glorify Christ.

Too often our Christian fellowship becomes nothing more than super bowl parties and dances. It isn’t a sin to watch football and dance. It might be a sin if the football game makes us forget that we are Orthodox Christians. Our Christian fellowship should always remind us of communion.

Let me put it another way. We don’t need the Church to have a party. We need the Church so that our party remains Christian. If our fellowship does not reinforce our Orthodox Christian faith, it is nothing better than the world can offer. We may as well watch football at a sports bar.

We are called to something better than the world. We are called to fellowship with Christ. This is not to say that we can only gather for worship. It means our gatherings glorify Christ. It means our lives glorify Christ. It means our relationships glorify Christ. That is what we should long for.

It isn’t too early to begin thinking how we will navigate the Nativity Fast which begins in a couple weeks. Our social circles will become a thread of constant holiday parties. We can’t forget our Orthodoxy ‘just because’ the world around us has turned Christmas into a party season.

Plan from now to fast. Prepare now to be polite when you are invited to holiday parties. You can even ‘stop by’ and show your love for your neighbors and coworkers. You don’t have to eat like a pig to fit in. You will even notice others not eating and nobody thinks they’re strange.

Plan from now to be in Church, not just during the Nativity Fast, but as often as time allows. While we don’t always have to gather for worship, it does a better job lifting us up than any holiday party! See out opportunities to gather for Christian fellowship and Communion with God.