A Church of One?

"Faith is a personal act -- the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals Himself. But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone just as no one can live alone. You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life. The believer has received faith from others and should hand it on to others. Our love for Jesus and for our neighbor impels us to speak to others about our faith. Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith." CCC 166

I've heard people say they don't believe in organized religion. They prefer instead to have their own personal faith. While faith is certainly a personal choice, one can not (and should not) believe alone. God made woman for man so that man should not live alone (Gen 2:18). From our earliest ancestors it was realized that man could not exist alone. Why should we think that we can have faith alone?

When Christ began His public ministry, He chose twelve men to assist Him. Why did He do this? As God, could He not have performed His ministry without the help of others? Of course. But perhaps He was showing us that we were each formed to be part of a community -- a body of believers -- who were dependent on each other for their spiritual growth. Note how when the disciples went out to preach repentance, drive out demons, and anoint the sick they did so in pairs (Mark 6:7). See how after Jesus' death the believers gathered together for the breaking of the bread (Acts 20:7). Examples abound in Scripture supporting a model of a community of believers working together for a common good.

My hope is that those who believe they can make it on their own hear the voice of God calling them back to communion with Himself in the format He gave us as an example: the Church as a community of believers, breaking bread together and being the body of Christ here on Earth.