Today is May 23, Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter.
Today, we hear a fascinating passage from the Acts of the Apostles: “Since we have heard that some of our number who went out without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings and disturbed your peace of mind, we have with one accord decided to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:24-25).
At first glance, this might not seem like a particularly stirring or beautiful Scripture verse — but with a little context, it’s actually quite powerful. This moment comes from the early Church’s response to a serious doctrinal controversy: Should Gentile converts to Christianity be required to observe the Mosaic Law?
Rather than let confusion and division fester, the apostles came together in what we now call the Council of Jerusalem. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they clarified Church teaching and sent official representatives — Paul, Barnabas and others–to communicate their decision.
This passage is remarkable because it reveals how doctrine is discerned and communicated in the life of the Church. It shows the apostles exercising their pastoral authority in union and in fidelity to the mission of Christ.
Sometimes, our Protestant brothers and sisters argue that the hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church is a human invention, something “unbiblical.” But today’s reading demonstrates just the opposite. From the very beginning, the Church has been hierarchical — apostolic — in her governance and her teaching.
Teaching the same truth
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the Church is apostolic in three key ways:
— She is built on the foundation of the apostles, chosen and sent by Christ himself.
— She hands on the teaching of the apostles, faithfully preserving and proclaiming their witness.
— She continues to be taught, sanctified and guided by the apostles through their successors — the bishops, in communion with the Pope, the successor of Peter.
This structure isn’t arbitrary. It’s a gift. It gives us confidence that the teaching we receive today is the same truth Christ entrusted to the apostles. We don’t have to figure everything out on our own. We’re not tossed about by every new voice or trending opinion. We are part of a Church that is united, rooted and guided by the authority Christ himself established.
So today, take heart in the order and unity of the Church. Be encouraged by the wisdom and care with which the apostles shepherded the early Christian community — and how that same pastoral care continues today through their successors.
Let us pray,
Grant us, Lord, we pray, that, being rightly conformed to the paschal mysteries, what we celebrate in joy may protect and save us with perpetual power. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
