Please read the passage before the commentary.
It is the second Sunday Easter. For the first disciples, it is the evening of the day of the Resurrection. For the first community, it is the first year of their Christian life. For us, it is the second week of Easter and April 11/12.
For the Apostles, it was the day of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the first Christians, they held everything in common. For us, we are waiting for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and we are learning how to consider all things in common.
What things set the early Christians apart? There were five: the teaching of the Apostles; their family-like community; their community praying together; their celebration of breaking bread together (either at regular meals or Eucharist); and signs and wonders. Likewise, “the Lord added their number every day the number of those in need of salvation.”
What do we do? In the Liturgy when the lector and priest you have done well to listening to the words of the Apostles. We should be listening to the Scriptures in Church and reading them at home.
Like the early Christians celebrate the breaking of the bread. This includes common ordinary meals as well as the Eucharistic banquet. The signs and wonders continue in our own day.
We are no longer in Jerusalem; we are in this place. Here we have a communion life. During the recent government shutdown, those who had food and resources shared with those who had need. I see many concerned about the sick and discombobulated in our community. Many people join in prayer for the sick and deceased members of the community.
In many ways we are like the first Christians. We have the same Christ with his resurrection from the dead, the same sacraments, the same signs and wonders purifying the hearts of the people. We should be giving praise to God who adds on this April day the number of those in need of salvatioon.
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