A Trinitarian DesignThe ideal design for community, or for a spiritual family, reflects the Divine design of a natural family, which reflects the image of the love of the Trinity: “The Father pours himself out in gift to the Son. The Son pours himself out in gift to the Father, and the Holy Spirit bursts forth as a fruit of their self-giving love” (Katrina Zeno). By making a sincere gift of self to your brother or sister in Christ and receiving their gift of self, the fruit of your friendship is a new gift of love.The seven stages1 - VOCATIONthe desire for it
the ability to do it
the opportunity to do it
These usually don't come all at the same time. When all three are in alignment, God invites you to pursue the work and say, "yes".
They come to you
You talk about what you are doing and it resonates with someone
You ask someone directly
Once companions recognize a common call and mission, they commit to one another and the work.
Dreams for the future form: genuine friendship, with an orientation toward their love for God, making a gift of oneself, and an openness to others, can bring forth a community or Spiritual Family entrusted to their care.
3 - CONSECRATION
The logistical questions come about: who, what, where, when, why, and how?
You have a choice:
Do I make plans and figure it out? Or
Do I ask the Lord, "How will this be"?
When we ask the Lord, "How will this be?", He will give us an idea of where to begin. We follow His direction, create a space, and dedicate it to the Lord for His will to be accomplished.
The space is decluttered, making room for His gifts
The schedule is freed, making us available for His plans
Our vision is cleared, making us more aware of His action
5 - RECEIVE
We still have the hopes and dreams from when we said "yes" to our unique vocation, and we wait for the Lord in emptiness. Now all we have is what He gives, providing for every need at the time we need it.
To wait and receive:
Pray: bringing all of your desires and needs before Him.
Surrender: hold your ideas and plans in open hands, ready to surrender them.
Watch: notice God’s small movements
Relationship: dive into conversation with Him about what you think, feel, wonder, and struggle with. Identify what you sense He is saying to you in response.
Cooperate: God is putting the pieces together and will give you what you need. Receive it.
Gratitude: Give thanks in all things (blessings, joys, trials, and temptations). It’s all part of God’s work and movements for our gradual “becoming.”
Vision: Where are we going and what is the dream?
Mission: What is the purpose of what we are doing and who does it serve?
Core Values: What elements are important to us and how do we live them out?
Operations: Who is involved and what is their part? What are the strengths we have available to us? Where and when is this to happen?
Characteristics: What is unique about us and what traditions enrich our life together?
Fruit: What kind of growth do we hope to see and what are our shared desires?
7 - FRUIT
Our dreams, vocations, and Spiritual Families are given to us for a purpose. When these spaces, founded in love and consecrated to the Lord, are emptied out and filled with His plans and the gifts of each individual member, what is poured out into the world is Jesus.
Again and again, Jesus is "born from every soul [and space] and formed in every life [and Spiritual Family]," revealing Himself in a new, unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable way that no other Spiritual Family has done before.