Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose,

Throughout the Easter Season, we read from the Acts of the Apostles. This book of the New Testament is a history of the early Church.  We often seem to have the notion that life in the early Church was serene and all the early disciples lived in unity and harmony.  When we read the Acts of the Apostles, we discover that nothing could be further from the truth.  The life of the early Church was full of passion, miraculous events, persecution, scandal, struggle, and even some very heated arguments.

The book of Acts begins with the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven.  Once the Apostles are left on their own, they must discover how they will carry on and in what direction they must move. The first order of business is to determine how they will replace Judas, so the number of Apostles will be returned to twelve.  After choosing two candidates, the whole assembly prayed for God’s guidance and then they cast lots.  Basically they drew straws, and Matthias was chosen to replace Judas.

Still the Apostles are uncertain how to proceed.  While they are at prayer, the Holy Spirit descends upon them at Pentecost and all Heaven breaks loose.  From that moment on, there is nothing that can hold them back.  In spite of great difficulty and even persecution, the Gospel is preached.  In order to assist the Apostles in their task of spreading the Gospel. the order of deacons is established. The deacon Stephen is the first martyr of the infant Church.
In the beginning, the Christians hold everything in Common and give to each one according to their need. Two early Christians, Ananias and Sapphira, sell a piece of property and deceitfully withhold some of the money for themselves.  When they are confronted by Peter, they both fall down dead. (What a way to make sure people tithe correctly!)

Saul is one of those who are persecuting the Christians.  On a trip to Damascus he has a vision of Jesus and is converted to the Faith.  From that point on his preaches the Gospel and becomes the great Apostle to the Gentiles.  The work of Saint Paul is so important that most of the rest of the Acts of the Apostles is a chronicle of his adventures in going on missionary journeys to spread the Faith.

One of the most important issues in the Acts of the Apostles was what to do with the Gentiles who wanted to become Christian.  There were always gentile converts among those who followed Jesus.  In the beginning, Judaism and Christianity were not separated.  In order to become Christian, one first had to become Jewish.  That involved embracing a lots of customs, dietary laws, and religious observances that were very foreign to the gentiles.  As time went on, even the Jewish Christians were not observing some of these things.  A council was called in Jerusalem.  This is considered the first council of the Church.  At this council, it was decided that Gentiles could be admitted into the Church without becoming Jewish.  This marks the beginning of the split between Christianity and Judaism. 

As we read the Acts of the Apostles, we see the seeds of all that begins to grow and to become our one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

Msgr. Cox
Altar of the Lie (The Punishment of the Couple Ananias and Saphira)mosaic executed in 1768 by Pietro Adami from an original painting by Cristoforo Roncalli (The Death of Sapphira, 1603)