As the Church grows in the world, the Holy Spirit begins to inspire new ways of living the Gospel.  Takeaways:   Matt - Cultivating an internal sense of reverence for the other and observing the Lord's Day with others   Dr. Mark - Be a counterbalance to worldliness    Louis - "If you want peace, work for justice" - St. Pope Paul VI

The Church begins to expand in the early centuries after Christ's Ascension, transforming the cultures in which it exists. [There is an episode on the early Church chronologically before this that will be uploaded at a later date!] Takeaways: Matt - Assess one area of materialism or consumerism in your personal life and transform that into an opportunity to give alms. Mark - The early Church fathers combined intellectual contemplation and action, seeing them as intrinsically linked Louis - Learn about one of the fathers - St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. John Chrysostom, or St. Basil - and imitate them in living charity and contemplation

Christ invites us to accept his reign over us personally and socially.  Takeaways: Matt - What is holding me back from loving more perfectly? Ask yourself who do I need to forgive. Dr. Mark - We become more like God by becoming more authentically human.  Louis - Be aware of the opportunities when you can respond with unexpected charity after being wronged.

After entering into relationship with His people, God calls them to live out this relationship with fidelity through the prophets. Out of love, God becomes man and walks beside His creation to restore the broken relationships that we have with Him, each other, and the natural world.  Takeaways: Matt - God loves the person you love the least enough to die for them. Enter into relationship with someone who makes you uncomfortable Dr. Mark - Emulate Christ's example of standing up to wrong's in His society and encountering the most vulnerable Louis - One random act of kindness for the healing of broken human relationships.  Big thanks to Jude Benjamin Slabaugh and Anne Banning!

An audio recording of the Preface from the Second Vatican Council document Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.

The first place to go to understand how we're called to live in the modern world is Genesis.  Takeaways: Matt - Pray, fast, and give alms in some meaningful way this week Dr. Mark - Look for the godliness in the persons you encounter this week Louis - Find a place of conflict in your life and try to bring harmony there Big thanks to Jude Benjamin Slabaugh and Anne Banning!

Welcome to Living Communion! A brief introduction to Matthew Flynn, Dr. Mark Etling, and Louis Damani Jones.