Connection
During the Wednesday Eucharist this week we commemorated the life of Irenaeus, one of the early defenders of Christian orthodoxy in the second century. In the first lesson we read these words from the apostle Paul. “Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness.” (2 Timothy 2:22-25a)
Listening to the lesson I wondered if our world today is really that different from Paul’s world in the first century. “Stupid and senseless controversies” that “breed quarrels” seem to dominate our age, often distracting us from the real challenges we face as a society.
One of these challenges is the focus of the Surgeon General’s 2023 report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. Dr. Vivek Murthy describes what he discovered as he traveled around the nation. “People began to tell me they felt isolated, invisible, and insignificant. Even when they couldn’t put their finger on the word ‘lonely,’ time and time again, people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, from every corner of the country, would tell me, ‘I have to shoulder all of life’s burdens by myself,’ or ‘if I disappear tomorrow, no one will even notice.’ It was a lightbulb moment for me: social disconnection was far more common than I had realized.”
According to the report, even before the COVID-19 pandemic about one-in-two adults in the United States reported experiencing loneliness (rates for young adults are even higher). In 2016, only 30% of adults felt they could reliably trust other Americans (compared to 45% in 1972). In 2018, only 16% of Americans reported feeling very attached to their local community. These examples barely scratch the surface but perhaps they are enough to make the point. Creating opportunities for social connection is imperative not only for the health of individuals but also for the well-being of society.
In response to this epidemic, Paul’s prescription for healing division in the community may not seem so naive. Pursuing “righteousness, faith, love, and peace” and behaving “kindly to everyone” will not in and of themselves transform the world. But they can create social connections that break down the walls that so often divide and isolate us.
The Surgeon General’s report makes similar suggestions. Community-based organizations such as St. Paul’s can “create opportunities and spaces for inclusive social connection” and “foster a culture of connection in the broader community.” Individuals can “seek out opportunities to serve and support others,” “actively engage with people of different backgrounds and experiences,” and “reflect the core values of connection in how [we] approach others in conversation and through the actions we take.”
Irenaeus wrote that “the glory of God is a human being fully alive.” Which is why it is imperative for us as Christians to create community, foster relationships, and build bridges which connect the diversity of God’s people. We are fully alive only in relationship. We reflect God’s glory best when we do so together.