Warmth, Comfort and Support: Our Human Need for Community
My cold fingers curled around the steaming bowl of chili. My exhausted, postpartum body craved the heat provided by each loaded spoonful. The chili and all its fixins’ were dropped off that afternoon by a friend from church. The simple act of making a hot meal was a comfort to my family as we traipsed back and forth between home and the NICU.
The group text lit up with yet another urgent prayer request. A family member landed in the ICU and was doing very poorly. A few minutes later, the sender of the text had received at least a dozen assurances of prayer and words of comfort. It was balm to her aching heart. The grace from all the prayers gave her the strength to carry on another day.
A Go-Fund-Me was circulating my local college alumni network. A young couple needed to rebuild their life after a tragic fire destroyed their home. It was just weeks before the birth of their first baby. Within hours, the financial goal was exceeded and they were astounded by the outpouring of support from the community.
In each of these specific instances, a local community came together to provide warmth, comfort, and support to those in need during trying times. It was a physical network that reached out as a safety net when someone’s world seemed to be falling apart.
We were created to be social creatures. From the very beginning, people were designed to have a community formed by fellow humans. “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.’” (Gen 2:18). After all, community makes us better people. Making a hot meal for a family takes effort and charity. Remembering to pray for someone and offer words of encouragement requires empathy and dedication. Contributing to your community financially helps you live a generous and magnanimous life.
Annie Alexiou, @candidlycomposed.
Living within a connected community encourages humans to attend to the needs of others through acts of charity. It makes us better people and helps those in our community lead richer, more fulfilling lives through our generosity.
How does one find community? Look to your local parish! Many churches have different groups that cater to parishioners’ different needs and interests- young adult groups, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, moms groups, Bible studies, and more. If your parish doesn’t offer anything that interests you, your library often has a plethora of activities and classes where you can meet like-minded folks. Perhaps you would like to opt for a more digital community. In that case, peruse Facebook groups to connect with others who share your passions. Or, organize a video call with your girlfriends. However you choose to seek community, be sure to bestow warmth, comfort, and support to all those within it.
Meet Marissa Federline
Marissa is a wife and stay-at-home mama living in Northern Virginia. She thrives in the sunshine outdoors with her toddler and newborn, baking (and eating) sourdough bread, and watching “The Office” for the millionth time with her husband. Marissa graduated from Christendom College with a degree in English Literature and taught first grade for several years before staying home to raise her babies. She is an introverted old-soul who looks for God in the small, everyday moments of life. She firmly believes that sainthood can be achieved one diaper change at a time! You can find her on Instagram @stella_maris_creates.