Communion of experiences

Today I was struck by our need to communicate, to put in common our thoughts and what is going on in our souls, heads and hearts. Experiences are not just limited to the soul, but include our thoughts and feelings, but it is an art to put them in common: out of love for the others.Below is a reflection by Chiara Lubich on scripture, but it struck me that it can be more universal

            This time we will speak about the "communion of experiences of the Word of Life" (or experiences on the motto of the Conference Call which is often like a summary of the Word of Life). This communion should not be confused with the "communion of souls" …. Rather, it is a practice in itself which dates back, as you know, to the first days of the life of the Movement.

            The Word of Life is of fundamental importance to us. Our Movement was born as a concrete expression of the Word. Because of the Word put into practice in a radical way, Christ is formed within us. Moreover, the Word is very important because through it, we make ours that great rule (this is how we viewed the Gospel from the early days) from which our spirituality surged forth. From the Gospel we undoubtedly learn the words concerning charity, but also those dealing with the other virtues, which we are called to live because it is asked of us in our Statutes: faith, hope, temperance, justice, fortitude, prudence, patience, purity, humility, meekness, piety, obedience, poverty, mercy, etc.

            Therefore, it is very important that we live the Word. But this is not enough. We are called to put our experiences of the Word in common with others. Why? Because the Lord asks this of a collective spirituality; therefore, not to practice this communion is a grave omission.

            The saints do not hesitate to attribute this transgression to the enemy of humankind: the devil. Saint Ignatius of Loyola speaks about it in one of his letters on "false humility."

            I would add that at times we do not practice the communion of experiences on the Word of Life because of laziness or because we are caught up in a false activism which makes us inclined to look outside rather than inside.

            No! We must be faithful to our duties, we must insist on using this additional instrument of our collective spirituality every time it is the will of God to do so (and we are establishing this for all the various vocations of the Movement).

  And so to conclude: let us live the present Word of Life well and … the next Word of Life; and let us continue or begin our communion of experiences of the Word of Life.
(Chiara Lubich, CH, Rocca di Papa, October 27, 1994)