For seven weeks, the Church, in its liturgy, celebrates Easter, the commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection. On each Sunday of these weeks, the readings at Mass include a passage from the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts is fascinating. Biblical scholars believe that it was written sixty or more years after Christ, by which time communities of Christians had formed.
It is thought that the author of Acts was St. Luke, who wrote Luke’s Gospel, traditionally believed to have been a devoted disciple of St. Paul, since Acts so concentrates on Paul.
After Christ, Christians multiplied in number, considerably in some places, because of the preaching of the apostles and their associates. These Christians had much in common. Acts provides an excellent, detailed insight into Christian life in Christianity’s first century.
What did early Christians believe?
What did these early Christians believe? What were the values drawn from their beliefs? How did they hold onto their beliefs surrounded by people who were not Christians, often hostile to Christianity?
Acts is specific. Acts 2:42-47 is most revealing. The Apostles were vitally important to the first Christians. After all, the Apostles had known Jesus, had been taught by Jesus, were called individually by Jesus and were sent by Jesus to bring salvation to the world.
The Apostles, and “presbyters,” later called “priests,” spoke with the authority of Jesus. This is obvious. Peter was first among the Apostles, not in a symbolic way. He was their leader. He spoke for them and for the community.
The community, soon to be called “the Church,” was vital. In the community, they prayed, they heard the words of Jesus, “broke bread,” or celebrated the Eucharist, and — in the organization and inspiration that the community provided — they cared for strangers, outsiders and the poor.
Christians pooled their resources, literally placing their possessions at the feet of the Apostles, who in turn helped the needy — not simply Christians who were unlucky, but everyone, because attention to human needs was a requisite for Jesus.
An examination of conscience
A careful study of Acts is a good way to accomplish an “examination of conscience,” especially in these times.
Apply the first Christians’ thinking and actions to yourself. How committed, and eager, is your association with the Church as a serving, worshipping, proclaiming, indispensable, divinely-inspired body in its outreach to those in need, to strangers and to the outcasts?
The first Christians’ care for the poor and downtrodden had roots in the Gospels’ proclamation of the majesty of every human being, whatever circumstances prevailed. Abortion comes to mind, but in so many ways, today, in this country, life is cheap.
Christian marriage and its obligations and responsibilities were precious in Early Christianity. Not so now in America, where rejection of religion and fixation upon sexuality are the culture.
After 2,000 years, Peter lives in the office of the Bishop of Rome and personally in the Pope, whoever he is at any given time. The disregard for the place of Peter among some today would shock the Christians mentioned in Acts
It is not biblical or traditionally Christian.
Important to remember about the first Christians from the description of them in Acts is that followers of Christ stood on their own two feet and were completely convinced of the truth of the Gospels. Indeed, many were executed under horrifying conditions rather than abandon or even qualify their faith.
Almost certainly, all the adult Christians seen in Acts were converts. They came to their intense faith in Jesus because they saw the emptiness — and lack of common sense — in conventions, culture, accepted behavior and other religions around them.
A lesson to learn from them is to question and test the suppositions and attitudes that drive modern life, that form opinions and ambitions. Face facts. Be tough. It may be a challenge.
The first Christians did that precisely — and they found joy in Christ, as Acts so marvelously shows us.
