God is in the Details

I’ve been reading Jean Vanier’s Community and Growth. It’s organized into sections by topic; the one I read for this reflection is “Living with Every Day”. I’ve been choosing topics that peak my interest, rather than reading it in chapter order. I was interested in this one because I find that the daily living out of my vocation is both the most powerful source of inspiration and the most challenging. It is where I am encouraged and supported by God and my sisters, but it’s also where all the implications play out. I was curious to see what Vanier’s perspective on the topic would be.

                He emphasizes the importance of both the body and spirit in community life. The ideals, regulations, and discipline of life in common are important; so are material things. He focuses more on the ordinary details of a shared life, pointing out that we are called to do them with the extraordinary love of God. That love is manifested in the little things of life that build community, and ultimately leads to communion with God and our brothers and sisters. For example, he describes the value of recognizing the humble, material gifts that people bring into community life. Thanking them for their contribution is essential.

                When I first entered community, I didn’t place much value in the details of daily life. My perspective was big picture In fact, at times I was oblivious to the mundane details of daily life and my surroundings. I was living with sisters who focused on the details of the most incidental aspects of life, and it irritated me. I often listened to them dissect everything into their tiniest parts and discuss them at length, wondering: Why does this matter in the long run? How can they have so much to say about nothing?

As I got used to the different personalities in community, I became more accepting of the detail-oriented sisters. I also entered into the rhythm of daily life, becoming a part of the concerns of that convent. I realized, too, that when I attach importance to a matter, the details do become important to me. When I was a classroom teacher, for instance, I noticed everything my students did. As an archivist and historian now, I work with details daily, and am peaceful about it. I need to connect the minutiae to a larger goal, and when I see how it supports that vision, I can focus in on the details. The same philosophy applies to community life; I value the bonds that we form, so I can see how details support them.

I recently joined a prayer group with young members of other religious communities. Each month, one of us shares a method of prayer that helps her to stay grounded in her commitment to God and community. This month, a Sister of St. Joseph shared the Prayer of the Heart, a form of lectio based on how we experience of God in our lives. The steps are similar to lectio divina, but the words/phrases and reflections shared are from our sense of how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives. After this, we responded to what others shared or what we noticed in the sharing in general. It was a powerful experience of God’s presence. It reminded me, too, of how important it is to live in the present moment, where God is. He is in the details!