2ND WEEK OF EASTER

Go and take your place in the temple area. 

Everyone in their parish Bible study knew that Rebecca was dying of cancer. They had been praying and supporting her for years and knew that her medical options were running out. One evening, at the end of their gathering, Rebecca shared with everyone how she had felt the Lord’s blessing through them: all the answered prayers, the encouraging phone calls, and the meals and rides to and from the clinic. Reflecting on these gifts kept her determined to rely on God’s faithfulness.

In today’s first reading, we see the apostles showing a similar determination. The very day after they had been arrested for preaching the gospel, they went right back to the Temple and continued preaching. They knew they were placing themselves at risk, but they did it anyway.

What kept the apostles going, despite the dangers? The very same thing that kept Rebecca going: they had the support of a community of faith.

We tend to think of the first apostles as being heroes on their own, but the truth is they were part of a larger gathering of believers whose prayer and practical help sustained them. The early Church consisted, of course, of Peter and James and John, but it also included their wives and children. It included Martha and Mary and Lazarus (John 12:1-3). It included Simon of Cyrene and his children, Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). And it included the Virgin Mary herself (Acts 1:14).

In fact, Luke tells us that “about one hundred and twenty persons” made up the nucleus of the early Church—even before the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15)! All these people, and many others, formed a spiritual network that supported the apostles and gave them the strength to keep testifying to the Lord.

The apostles’ experience of community tells us that we need each other! We cannot live this life on our own. As the articles at the front of this magazine explain, God has given us as gifts to one another. Let’s open ourselves to receiving—and offering—the gift of Christ’s love whenever we can.

“Thank you, Jesus, for giving me brothers and sisters to help me on my journey with you.”

Acts 5:17-26
Psalm 34:2-9
John 3:16-21