Dear Friend,
“Um…that was awkward!”
That’s what we sometimes hear from our three teens or two younger children after they see us chatting with strangers at Trinity House Café, the grocery check-out aisle, the church vestibule, or elsewhere.
Even before Covid-19 thrust us into even greater isolation, the number of Americans who interacted with strangers was plummeting. Smartphone-in-hand for an average 96 checks per day as we navigate a fractured public square, most of us are choosing to pull inward rather than extend ourselves.
But by withdrawing into ourselves, we become, to recall the words of Robert Frost, a “diminished thing.” Research suggests we “consistently underestimate how much a new person likes us following an initial conversation,” and so we can fail to make good use of the power of human interaction. Most importantly, we lose out on what we call in our Heaven in Your Home Workshop the “crown of communion,” and arguably, the heart of the Gospel.
Here’s why.
First, a personal question: Are you familiar with that deep sense of peace you carry in your heart especially after going to confession, receiving the Eucharist, or after a restful Sunday? In each of these moments—whether it’s encountering Christ’s mercy, partaking of his body, or participating in the rest of the 3rd commandment—we “carry” or preserve the communion of God’s life within us in a powerful way.
On the flip side, we are all familiar with the experience of harming or even breaking this communion. Maybe several days—OK, maybe even hours!—after going to confession, you fall to a familiar temptation. Or maybe it’s an argument on the way home from Sunday Mass. Whatever it is, we know the pain of those moments when we allow sin and woundedness to interrupt our communion with God.
As we build our Trinity House or “domestic church,” we are called to carry communion from our Sabbath Eucharist, the font of our Faith Life (Level 1), directly to the Persons and Relationships (Level 2) of our marriage and family. As we achieve some lasting communion with God and our closest loved ones, we can put it to work in caring for each other in our Household Economy (Level 3), and from there, into the sheer enjoyment of that communion in Family Culture (Level 4). In each level, we take the opportunity to welcome, listen, and serve, bringing our family closer to union in the Trinity and finding heaven, the continuation of union with God, in our home.
But wait, the story is not over!
Aren’t we called to share the life we’re living—of communion with God and family—with neighbors, friends, and even strangers in the broader community? To restore our world to friendship with God and eternal life with him in heaven? We can’t give what we don’t have, but if we’re deepening our walk with the Lord, strengthening our marriage and forming our family members, leading our family in shared work, and enjoying a vibrant family culture, then we’ve definitely got something to give!
When we reflect on Andrei Rublev’s famous Trinity icon, we recall that it was originally called “The Hospitality of Abraham and Sarah.” When the three strangers arrived (Gen. 18:1-15), Abraham and Sarah stopped everything and hosted them. In the 4th century Rule of St. Benedict, which even to this day continues to guide many monastic communities, Rule 53 begins, “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ…” In Hospitality and Service (Level 5 of your Trinity House), we find the “crown of communion,” the culmination of our communion with God, the ability to share the possibility of eternal life, of happiness in heaven, not just with our loved ones, but with neighbors and even strangers.
Can it be “awkward”? Sure. Can others reject our hospitality—whether we’re asking the elderly woman next to us in the check-out line how she’s doing, or inviting friends or neighbors to dinner (per social-distance requirements, of course) or to join us for a drink via Zoom? Of course. Should we strive, even in these months of the pandemic, to extend these types of invitations? Yes.
To embark on this way of life is to resolve to be not a “diminished thing;” not curvatus in se (“turned in on oneself”), as St. Augustine described our sinful nature, but to be the man or woman God made us to be—reflecting his image of interpersonal communion and self-gift.
And if that’s not enough to motivate us, maybe we can take to heart the mandate of Hebrews 13:2 in the days ahead, and find creative ways to apply it to our own unique circumstances: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Heaven in Your Home Toolkit
Last summer in “How Can Spouses Cultivate Hospitality,” we reflected together in a Made for Love podcast interview.
There’s nothing like just going back to Scripture to cut through the static. When we hear “hospitality,” it’s so easy to think of the “hospitality industry” or to be overwhelmed with the idea of hosting an expensive dinner party, but check out this compilation of scripture passages on hospitality to get back to basics.
Speaking of hospitality, at Trinity House Cafe on the corner of Church & Market Streets in Leesburg, we’re so encouraged — two weeks after reopening — to be seeing more and more guests venturing out to enjoy coffee, a meal, a glass of wine, beer, or even ice cream!
Did you miss the Catholic Marriage Summit? Consider an investment in your marriage by buying access to the 70+ talks and presentations.
Soren reflected on his dad’s life in an article in this month’s Columbia magazine: “Dad’s Big Day–and Influence: Step up Your Spiritual Leadership While Sheltering at Home.”
How did a Fort Worth girl and a boy from the Chicago suburbs meet? We met in Krakow, Poland in 2000, at the annual Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society. Founded in 1992, and now part of the Catholic Studies Program of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, the 3-week seminar seeks to deepen the dialogue on Catholic social doctrine between North American students and students from the new democracies of central and eastern Europe. While this year’s TMS Seminar has been suspended, the all-star presenters will be sharing “a taste of TMS” here with recorded lectures uploaded every other weekday from June 29 to July 15.
Go deeper in your faith this summer. Catholic Distance University offers an online independent study course of your choice. For a full list of courses, browse their catalog here. If you live within the Diocese of Arlington, use Promo Code CDU15ARLINGTON when registering to qualify for the $30 rate.
Testimonial
“Soren and Ever Johnson’s Heaven in Your Home Workshop is excellent, providing a wonderful opportunity for parents and others to come together to reflect upon their calling and learn specific and helpful tips for keeping God as the central focus in our lives and homes. One of the most beneficial parts of this workshop is the ample opportunity to share and learn from the other parents in attendance the various ways that they integrate faith formation into their family life.”—Steven R. Hemler, President of the Catholic Apologetics Institute of North America (CAINA) and author of The Reality of God: The Layman’s Guide to Scientific Evidence for the Creator and Search No More: The Keys to Truth and Happiness.
Coming Soon…
We are looking forward to sharing a schedule of Heaven in Your Home Workshops (livestream and in-person), other speaking engagements, and monthly Heaven in Your Home Gatherings for later this summer and fall. Would your church, parish, small-group or ministry be interested in hosting Trinity House Community? We’re happy to adapt the workshop or speak on related topics (e.g., prayer in the home; couple’s prayer; developing your children’s gifts; family culture) to fit your unique needs. Just drop us a line at contact@trinityhousecommunity.org.
Please Join Us In Prayer
- For the staff and ministry of Trinity House Cafe, and the recent Heaven in Your Home Workshop participants;
- For forgiveness for the times when we have failed to love and respect one another, and healing from racism (cf. USCCB Prayer to Overcome Racism);
- For all those who mourn the loss of loved ones;
- For the sick, their caregivers, medical personnel, and all essential workers;
- For the unemployed, the underemployed, and all those facing difficult financial decisions in these days.
In Christ,
Soren & Ever Johnson
Founders & Directors
Trinity House Community
Making Home a Little Taste of Heaven
