Idolatry Of The Self

 In my religion, the Catholic one, I see some people go into the mass, the worship service.  They listen, and pray to God.  Then they leave and go about their business.  They say nothing to anyone.  They greet no one.  But they say they belong to a church.  Church means community, not the freestanding individual.  I hear some people say that they like the zoom mass on their computer screen, but that they miss the Holy Communion or Eucharist.  They do not miss the other people they do not see on zoom.  This is what can be called “Idolatry of the Self.”  On the other hand, Recovery meetings for addicts are communal or they are not recovery meetings.  Each person realizes they are part of a community which means reach out to others in that meeting.  Don’t come late and leave early, talking to no one.  That is the way of the fearful and ashamed newcomer.  The “members” do not let that newcomer get away.  Someone in the meeting goes and “bothers” the newcomer.  So “bother” someone.  You never know how God is at work in you.