Acts 2:42-47 The Christian Community
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The community that emerged in Jerusalem after Peter’s preaching on Pentecost was remarkable for its shared life. The impact of their newfound faith in the risen Christ was immediate, life-changing and noticed by all. But one of the most striking features of their success, if we can call it that, is that it was built around the simplest building blocks: And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Listening to the Scriptures and to inspired teaching, liturgical life (the prayers) fellowship with each other in the full breadth of what that can mean, crowned by communion (koinonia) in the Body and Blood of Christ (the “breaking of bread” was a technical term for the Eucharist.) All of this remains the foundation for thriving church life today.
It is often said that the picture here of the early Christian commune is an exaggerated, idealized, romanticized image that never really existed. But maybe this image is dismissed because it’s such a frighteningly demanding example, especially in our individualistic society. Lest we think that such rich communal life was always viewed as out of reach, it is worth recalling that St Basil in the fourth century took the Acts community as his practical model for monastic life. He was critical of solitary monasticism (“whose feet will you wash?”) and set down instructions for community living aimed at cultivating the life in Christ demonstrated in the first Jerusalem church.
Saint Basil instructs monks to live together for the sake of mutual help, comfort, instruction, exercise of virtue, efficacy of prayer and security from danger. They are to should possess all things in common, and after “rendering to their kindred what is their due” are to distribute the remainder to the poor and needy. “And whoever defames a brother, or willingly hears his brother be defamed, is to be excommunicated.” Saint Basil undergirds this community life with strenuous ascetic practice, with only one meal a day (bread, water, salt, vegetables) and limited sleep before rising in the middle of the night for prayer.
We may not be ready for this whole package, but surely, with God’s help, we can stretch ourselves, deepen our relationships with each other and stir up devotion to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
At Saint Tikhon’s Seminary and Monastery
I drove up yesterday to Saint Tikhon’s Seminary for an illuminating workshop on “Responsibilities and Duties of the Board of Trustees,” given by two presenters from the Zielinski Companies, which specialize in consulting to non-profit institutions, especially churches and religious organizations (they’ve worked with other Orthodox bodies as well.)
I am staying at the Monastery guesthouse and, in the afternoon, had the opportunity to speak with Father Athanasy (Mastalsky). One of the unique features of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary is its close association with Saint Tikhon’s Monastery. Seminarians worship in the Monastery church, Father Sergius (Bowyer), the abbot, teaches courses on the spiritual life and Father Athanasy teaches “pastoral arts and praxis.”
Today, after Divine Liturgy and then breakfast in the Monastery trapeza (refectory), the Seminary board members gather for a day of meetings.
Tomorrow will be the ground-blessing for the building of the Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center in New York City. The tiny Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas was destroyed in the attacks of 9/11. When I worked next to the World Trade Center at Bankers Trust from1982 to 1984, the church was open at lunchtime on Wednesdays. It was a quiet refuge, with Byzantine hymns playing in the background on a tape recorder, and a friendly elderly parishioner at the candle desk giving out antidoron to those who stopped in.