Life Lessons from the Early Church

St. John the Evangelist wrote his gospel “that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His Name” (20:31). Belief is properly expressed in a living joy which comes from putting faith into actions and words, often amidst the direst of circumstances.

The apostles considered their circumstances dire; having lost their Lord to a shameful death, they hide out behind locked doors, for fear of persecution. Despite the idyllic state often described in the Acts of the Apostles, the early Church endured much persecution. St. Luke mentions that Christians experienced “awe” and “exultation”; it only could have happened precisely in the midst of severe opposition, precisely amid profound temptations to disbelief and desertion. Christians of every time and place can maintain such joy.

What would it take? Four things: (1) devotion to the teaching of the apostles; (2) devotion to the communal life; (3) devotion to the breaking of bread; and (4) devotion to the prayers. These four commitments guarantee a real experience of the best life—not a life that is free from trouble, but a life that is free for generosity and peace. Therefore they are worth exploring.

(1) The “teaching of the apostles” refers to the doctrines rooted in the Scriptures and the Church’s Spirit-inspired reflection upon the Scriptures. They extend to matters of belief and moral living. The Church’s Magisterium—the authority of the Pope in union with the Bishops—assures the correctness of those teachings. The apostles of the first century received the very authority of Jesus in these matters, and they continue that divine influence in the Church’s teaching. Certainly the expressions of our beliefs and practices “evolve,” but the core realities have been in place since the very beginning.

(2) The “communal life” is not just a civil co-existence. It is nowhere near “a respectful keeping of distance.” It is a “being together,” a communion of minds and hearts that allows for the sharing of possessions, insights, cares, and delights. Marriage and family life were created “in the beginning” as a foreshadowing of the Church’s communal life. Being part of a marriage and a family that participate in the Church’s communal life is optimal; it is preferred; it is unimaginable to reject. No doubt wounds and flaws exist in every family, in every parish; but true Christian compassion abides these imperfections and even enables God to bring some good out of them.

(3) The “breaking of bread” primarily signifies the celebration of the Eucharist. The Church prescribes participation in public worship every Lord’s Day and Obligatory Day, yet she offers numerous opportunities to expand our liturgical investment beyond the minimum. Our work and family obligations are important, but must be balanced with our commitment to God if we expect to make “the long haul” without suffering spiritual malnourishment.

(4) The “prayers” include our personal and common experiences of communication with God. The Stations of the Cross, the Rosary, and Novenas such as the Divine Mercy are good and needful. Our conversations with God can happen in the car, at our bedside, at our cubicle, or wherever else we may be. Have our husbands and wives ever considered praying out loud to God together, sharing their most intimate concerns and whatever emotions may accompany them? Would a teenager explode if he or she read a psalm or a story from the Gospels every day, or give a shout-out to the Lord in the hallway between classes, or worse yet, plan to go to Church when friends are over for a Saturday night?

We would not be here today except for the experiences of the Apostles after Jesus’ Resurrection. The Holy Spirit worked on them in ways that they could not fully express, in ways that could not be conditioned by their limited experience. For this reason Jesus affirmed that those who believe without seeing are blessed. Truth be told, the frailty of Thomas is our own, as well: all too often we expect or demand glaring proofs when we would be better off trusting and acting as if the disputed matters are true, or will work out for the good. If anything, with Thomas we’re in honorable company.

Once I remember not accepting my mother’s testimony that sticking a butter knife in an outlet would cause a spark, so I couldn’t be shocked by being shocked. Wouldn’t it have been better to trust my mother? The Church is mother and teacher of us all; wouldn’t it be better to trust the wisdom of the Holy Spirit at work in two thousand years of imperfect individuals? Sometimes, however, we do dumb things over and over again expecting a different result each time. Sometimes we hold on to lust, anger, and envy that give us some sort of payback, even while they eat us alive. The saints have so much to teach us if we are willing. They present us the teaching of the Apostles, the communal life, the breaking of bread, and the prayers—the lived experience of the Catholic Church. Salvation couldn’t be imparted in a better group of people.