From our Pastors
Almost overshadowed by the powerful Gospel account of Thomas the doubter coming to faith, is the first reading from the book of Acts from this past Sunday.
The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need. Acts4
The power of the resurrection is transformative to those who come to faith in the risen Jesus. Acts shows us that the first Christians were so moved by the grace of the resurrection that they ensured none of the community had needs unmet. Indeed, they actually sold their possessions, even their homes and they placed the proceeds at the feet of the apostles, not to build up bank accounts but for the service of the gospel. This dynamic experience of community elicits an extraordinary outpouring of generosity in spirit, service, and mutual care that were a hallmark of the primitive Church.
What an extraordinary demonstration of how God calls us to be with one another! Throughout his ministry Jesus bore witness to the divine generosity in reaching out to those in need of mercy and acceptance, to the poor and excluded, to the confused and the injured in body and spirit. He went out of his way to meet people where they were in life, so that they might experience the love of God for them. This same spirit of selfless generosity animated the early Church.
Imagine that same powerful spirit at work in us today, and through us, what we might accomplish together? With such a spirit of generosity of service and self-giving, how extraordinary the body of Christ would be if we were to give ourselves one to the other, and together as a community, in ways that perhaps we have not yet imagined. What is the measure of our generosity in the Church today? How can we be more generous with who we are, and the resources entrusted to us in ways that bear witness to the power of the resurrection? Selling our houses might not be an option for us, but perhaps one step in the Easter season might be to be less inclined to assert our opinions and preferences and more generous with patience, forbearance, and mutual understanding as we build up the Body of Christ.
Fr. Michael Callaghan, c.o. and Fr. Mark Lane, c.o.
