The Acts of the Apostles 2000 Years On!

The liturgical season of Eastertide spans across the next five weeks, until Pentecost Sunday. Over these next five weeks, in both the weekday and weekend readings we will hear from the book of The Acts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles is the New Testament book which follows immediately after the four Gospels. It is written by Luke the evangelist and is the continuation of the Gospel of Luke.

Notice that last Sunday – the Sunday immediately after Easter – the Gospel already recalls Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit upon his disciples. We hear this happening again at Pentecost. Why? Because while formally, Pentecost occurred 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection, God, in the form of the Holy Spirit was already at work immediately after the resurrection, empowering the disciples to preach the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. We also read that between Jesus’ resurrection and the formal outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Jesus kept appearing to many people, and the disciples kept going around to preach the Good News, eventually starting many early church communities.

Isn’t it amazing how over 2000 years later, there are over 1.3 billion Catholics, in every country and continent thanks to the hard work of the 12 apostles and their followers. Just like the early church, we gather together to share in fellowship and the breaking of the bread before going out on mission into the world again. Over the next five weeks of Eastertide leading up to our Parish Service Day on 26th May, the priests will be preaching a series of homilies about mission. Specifically, encouraging all to be active participants in the life of the parish community by volunteering in one of the six ministry areas: Children & Families, Community Life, Faith & Formation, Service & Outreach, Worship or Youth and Young Adults.

As a continuation of early church 2000 years on, we are very much the acts of the apostles in the 21st century. We are called to act as apostles who have faith in the risen Christ, and who share in that joy with others. A joy which is more than a passive turn up and then leave, but a joy which compels us to continue to build the life of the Parish; not just changed for a day but transformed for life! Just like in the gospel today, may Jesus open our minds to understand and encounter him, to answer the invitation to serve his mission in his Church today and every day.

What might serving the church look like for you within this parish?

God bless,

Fr Gerard