Tuesday 9 April 2024

Today is Tuesday 9 April, in the 2nd week of Eastertide.

The Choir of Royal Holloway sings, ‘One in Christ’.

When we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home.
Dying and living you declared your love and opened the gate of glory.

Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts 4:32-37

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.


In writing this passage in the Acts of the Apostles, St Luke offers what is perhaps a rather idealised picture of the earliest Christian communities. What do you first notice about it?

How do you think that you would you respond to an invitation to join such a group?

Where do you see anything like this happening in the church, or among Christians that you know, today?

As you hear this community described again, is there anything that it has to say about your own way of living in response to the gospel message?

Speak, finally, with God about your own hopes for Christian community.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.