WORD 2day: Tuesday, Second week in Eastertide
April 9, 2024 - Acts 4: 32-37; John 3: 7-15
Entire last week, the Word spoke to us about the aftereffects of the Resurrection of Christ - defining to us the people of Resurrection. That aftereffect has to last, and it leads to the formation of a Community. This Community was the Easter Community - this week the Word invites us to reflect on this Community that is born.
First of all Jesus defines this quality of being born, in fact, being born again. At times there are those non catholic bretheren of our's who speak of this being "born again" as one even or one ritual after which one is born again. It is actually a life style, a new life, being born in the Spirit - explains Jesus through his conversation with Nicodemus. We are called to be born anew, made new persons, formed into a new community, into the Easter Community! What would characterise this community?
The first reading answers that question: what characterises this community is "love", which unites them into one heart and one soul. What was the sign of this: "there was no one among them who was ever in want!" This is one heart and soul; not just words and slogans and utopian jargon! It meant a concrete life style which was built on sensitivity, generosity, reaching out, selflessness, in short, on love, a love that unites.
A love that is concrete - selling what one has and placing it in common - a love which acts, which changes lives, which means a concrete set of priorities, which places the other before oneself, because all that matters is the call that one has received from the Lord, from the Spirit. The Easter community is marked by their being united in one heart and one soul, in the Spirit.