I’m a firm believer that the quickest way to reduce your time in Purgatory is to endure the modern feminist. That being said, women rock! This is a shout out of awe and thankfulness at the natural abilities of a woman. However, this is far more important for men to read than women.
The ability to communicate is the most important talent anybody can perfect. Some might disagree with this statement. What about a doctor making people healthy? What about a friend cheering somebody up? What about a loved one making their beloved laugh? Some might think all of these talents are the most important one can possess. All of these, however, are presupposed by the talent to communicate.
To be a successful doctor, a person must have the ability to communicate their desire to make people healthy (college, medical school) and to communicate with their patients and figure out what is wrong. To be a successful friend, one must communicate with their friend (firstly to initiate the friendship, and secondly to express and develop the friendship). To be successful at loving, one must communicate with their loved ones. Communication presupposes all other talent. But even beyond the importance of communication for these purposes there is an even greater importance of communication.
The ability to communicate is the deciding factor on whether or not a person will ever truly be in communion with something. If the only thing I have in common with my roommate is that we share an interest in something, say the Denver Broncos, then we will never be in communion with each other. I won’t know much more about him other than he is a Broncos fan. To be in communion with someone you must know that person through and through. That is the very definition of communion. As much as most men hate this, to do so means being willing to discuss your feelings with another person. When two people know each other’s beliefs, dreams, hopes, and thoughts then they are in communion with each other.
This is one of the many values the gender of woman has. Women naturally are more caring and more compassionate to another person’s feelings. Women were made to nurture. They naturally are inclined to communicate. Some men have this wonderful quality as well. But most men I know will go out of their way to avoid a talk about feelings. Men are not always at fault here, however, because even an honest attempt at communication can result in communion. The failure in communion happens when there is no attempt at communication being made. Some men are, by nature, inclined to keep to themselves. But this can be overcome with a simple attempt to let their loved ones in on their beliefs, dreams, hopes, and thoughts.
But why is being in communion with someone so important? Aside from the obvious answer of keeping one sane, communion with another person is a reflection of the communion God has with His people. Through every relationship we develop, we have a chance to come to know God. Remember, what presupposes communion? Communication. Jesus Christ is the communication God expressed to His people. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word of God is not the Bible. The Word of God is the living, breathing person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the communication. The communion that results from Him is our share of the Beatific Vision. Every time we receive this communication (Jesus) in the Eucharist, we are in perfect communion with Him. All of the people who are in communion with each other on this planet are a small reflection of the communion awaiting us in Heaven.
So, form communions with your friends and loved ones. Women, make the men in your life communicate with you. Communicate until you know each other through and through. Don’t pride yourself on the amount of friends you have this communion with (Jesus only had 12!) but rather, on the communion itself. There you will find God.
In Defense of Sanity 