COMMUNITY LIFE AT LAVIGERIE HOUSE

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A community is a group of members who share common resources with the same vision or goal. The perfect community is that of the trinity and a natural community is one to which everybody belongs. Community living started long ago from the creation where God was with the word and the spirit. It is also in the letter to the Hebrews to stay as community (10:25) which also applies to the Acts of the Apostles (4:32). Here at Lavigerie house community life covers three aspects that include: pastoral work, academic life, and prayer life. Lavigerie house is a community with various nationalities and cultures united by Caritas and understanding of each other’s personality. Our greatest concern is to remain in God’s love which flows from the spirit. I will try to share my experience at Lavigerie.

Prayer life is very fundamental as the common say: “A missionary who does not pray is a dead one”. It bridges our relationship with God. This is in two parts: community prayer and personal prayer. Community prayer guides personal prayer and the reverse is true. Prayer is all about changing our minds not God’s mind because prayer helps to listen to ourselves, reflect on our lives, and time to check on areas which need attention. St Ignatius of Loyola also said that “we are created to serve, love, and revere God” which can only be done in prayer. Jesus himself constantly prayed to the father and as his followers, we need to imitate him. Furthermore in John it is written that “never can you bear fruits without Christ” (15:4-9) whom we encounter in the Eucharist today.

Pastoral work helps us to connect with God’s people. This takes place in different areas such as out stations, orphanages, homes of people with disabilities, and prisons. We experience God’s love through the encounter of these people. This requires quality of presence to the people. Pastoral work helps us to share experiences of life among God’s people since some are abandoned from the communities. We give them hope, courage, and the body of Christ especially the sick.

To sum up everything, life is what you make it.  Community life requires humility, patience, love, trust, respect, attention, and openness to listen to each other. Mother Theresa remarked that “I can do something which you cannot do and you cannot do what I do”. This suggests the different gifts of each individual in the community. Let us accept the giftedness of each other since no one person has ever made a community. All this, works well in love, without love you are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

By JohnBosco Magezi

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