The First Community

 "They were faithful to the teaching of the apostles, the common life of sharing, the breaking of bread and prayers.

A holy fear came upon all the people, for many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  Now, all the believers lived together, and shared all their belongings.  They would sell their property, and all they had, and distribute the proceeds to others, according to their need.  Each day, they met together, in the temple area; they broke bread in their homes; they shared their food, with great joy and simplicity of heart; they praised GOD and won the people's favor.  And every day, the LORD added to their number, those who were being saved." - Acts 2:42-47 

(Those who have been baptized feel strongly united by the new faith and long for a communal life.  As they gather in private houses and the communities are not too big, they can know each other and share everything.

Luke tells us what they did, and we must note the order of priorities:

- first the teaching of the apostles

- then comes Christian fellowship, with more attention to the weak

- only then may the breaking of bread, that is, the Eucharist, be celebrated

- finally common prayers of thanksgiving to prolong the Eucharist.

The Spirit of JESUS comes to us through the Word and the Eucharist: these are the sources of the Church's dynamism.  By the Word, we do not mean the study of the Scriptures merely to know the Scriptures.  Scripture helps us realize how GOD continues to speak to us through the actual achievements of our life, the community and the world.

The expression breaking of bread could mean any Jewish meal that began with a blessing.  But very early the Christians reserved this word for reference to the Eucharist that they celebrated remembering the last supper of the LORD [Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16].

Joy and simplicity of heart gave witness to the change in their lives and the authenticity of their fraternal sharing.  They were deeply reconciled persons.

It was not the naive joy that is easily found in Christian groups who have no thought for the problems of the world.  Neither they nor their enemies could ignore that JESUS had taken on the problems of national reconciliation.  They were enjoying the favor of the people who considered them to be concerned and responsible persons.) 

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