They had everything in common

“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.” – Acts 4:35-35

Unlike the rest of the year when the first reading at mass is from the Hebrew Scriptures, during the Easter Season the first reading comes from the Acts of the Apostles, as we learn how the early church formed. In Tuesday’s passage we learn that the community at Jerusalem was essentially socialist. In response to Jesus’ call to love one another, they pooled all of their resources and took care of the needs of each member. (This is the vision of community that is at the root of modern religious communities like Jesuits or Franciscans taking a vow of poverty, to not own anything personally but only as a community.) For a while this living out of God’s love was so strong, and the promise of life eternal so real, that people were willing to give up their own security to be a part of it, sacrificing property and sometimes even their own lives. In Thursday’s reading we hear of the Sanhedrin wanting to execute the apostles for their teaching and what it was bringing about. Later we hear of Stephen’s martyrdom.

Of course this way of community didn’t last. When St Thomas More uses this passage as part of the basis of his imagining the perfect society he titles it Utopia, Greek for nowhere. But it should get us thinking. What about St Leonard and St Francis of Rome and our way of living God’s love could attract people like those early Christians’ life was attractive? What might bring us to consider selling a house to take part? And if not much comes to mind, that is where we should be putting our efforts to grow as Christians. For our first mission is always to bring the light of the resurrection to those who have not seen it, and the warmth of God’s love to those who are chilled by the hard things of life.

-Fr Lou