Communal Disciplines
Ideas and resources for following Jesus together
Communal Disciplines
Below you’ll find a list of spiritual disciplines that suit themselves well to being done in community. These practices are essential in teaching us how to view our walk with God as something we do together.
SUNDAYS
The practice of a weekly day of rest is a great way to invite others into our walk with God. Try:
Attending Sunday Worship in community - sit with friends and family
Having a Sabbath meal - share brunch or an extravagant dinner potluck
Doing a recreational and restful activity together like a hike or day at the beach
Praying with others throughout the Sabbath with the Liturgy of the Hours or another Psalmody (our community usually meets at 9pm on Sundays to pray Compline/Night Prayer together as a close to the Sabbath)
THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS
The Liturgy of the Hours are a beautiful meditation on the Psalms with set prayer times throughout the day. You might consider:
Asking if your Parish would host Morning or Evening Prayer once a week
Meeting with friends to pray Morning Prayer before Mass
Praying Night Prayer (Compline) with your household before bed
Resolving with a few others to pray Morning and Evening Prayer each day individually but at the same time (the Church teaches that even when prayed alone, the Offices are always prayed in communion with the others praying them that day)
FASTING
Many Christians around the world make fasting a regular part of the spiritual lives. Try:
Abstaining from meat on Fridays (required for Catholics in the US and Canada) with a group of others
Making a group chat to share intentions on your fast day
Abstaining from breakfast and lunch on Fridays in Penitential seasons (e.g. Lent & Advent)
Pooling the money saved from fasting from meals and giving it to the poor
GENEROSITY
Individually, generosity is a beautiful act that brings us into deeper relationship with God and others but pooling resources (finances but also time and other contributions) can help make a bigger impact. Some ideas could be:
Setting aside a fund in your small group that everyone contributes to as they are able - the money can be given out to people in the small group and broader community as need arises
Giving to your local Church or a ministry that moves your heart
Serving the poor alongside others in a soup kitchen or shelter
Volunteering in a Church ministry with friends (e.g. youth group)
LITURGICAL SEASONS
Many of us already celebrate the Liturgical Seasons with others in times like Christmas or Easter. That said, there are many opportunities throughout the Liturgical year to celebrate with others, doing things like:
Having a feast with others for special days in the Church calendar (Catholic Cuisine has some good recipe ideas)
Praying a Novena in Advent leading up to Christmas (like this one on Catholic Culture)
Taking up a more intense fast than the Friday abstinence from meat with others in Lent or Advent
OTHERS
Here are a few more ideas for walking with Jesus alongside others:
Meet in a weekly small group
Take a Bible study
Read Scripture in long chunks communally, as they would have done in the Early Church (try doing it by candelight for a particularly solemn experience)
Host a dinner for your neighbourhood
Show hospitality to priests, missionaries, and others who have devoted their lives to serving the Lord, especially through a meal