Devoted to the Cause

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Devoted to the Cause”

Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy), Year A

Webster’s Dictionary defines “Devote” as:  “to commit by a solemn act 1) as devoted oneself to serving God or 2) to give over or direct (as time, money, or effort) to a cause, enterprise, or activity”.

Our First reading today expresses the primary and central activity of the early “Believers” following Christ’s death and resurrection…. as being “devoted...to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to prayer”.

If all the activities of Holy Week, all the preparation – the cooking, cleaning and baking has given us a sense of exhaustion and left us a little frazzled and dazed, then now is the time to reflect on the events of that first Easter Sunday and how our lives will never be the same.  Many people experienced deep and profound changes in the way they lived their lives because they believed that Christ rose from the dead and that they would too! They gradually came to realized they would have to change the way they lived this life. And the changes they made came from what Jesus taught them while He was with them.

The changes people made were remarkable. We read some of them in the Acts of the Apostles that chronicles the early days of our church and how the community of believers came together initially to be nourished by sacrament and word. But it soon grew into much more than that. We read today that….

  

Awe came upon everyone.

Wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

All who believed were together and held things in common.

They would sell their property and possessions and divide                                                                                                                              them among all according to each ones need.

Every day they devoted themselves

 to meeting together in the temple area

...and to the breaking of the bread in their homes.

They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart.

Praising God and enjoying favor with all people.

And every day the Lord added to their number

those who were being saved…..

What a remarkable transformation was brought about in the lives of believers because of the life, death, and Resurrection of Our Lord. Can you imagine what would happen if we had the same faith as these early believers? Can you imagine if we had the faith the size of a mustard seed? Tell me Christ didn’t know the weakness of our human spirit! Perhaps it’s time for us to renew our devotion to Our Lord by a more fervently prayer life and sharing in the breaking of the bread.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom