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Acts 15: 7-21
After much debate had taken place,
Peter got up and said to the Apostles and the presbyters,
“My brothers, you are well aware that from early days
God made his choice among you that through my mouth
the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.
And God, who knows the heart,
bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit
just as he did us.
He made no distinction between us and them,
for by faith he purified their hearts.
Why, then, are you now putting God to the test
by placing on the shoulders of the disciples
a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
On the contrary, we believe that we are saved
through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.”
The whole assembly fell silent,
and they listened
while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders
God had worked among the Gentiles through them.
After they had fallen silent, James responded,
“My brothers, listen to me.
Symeon has described how God first concerned himself
with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name.
The words of the prophets agree with this, as is written:
After this I shall return
and rebuild the fallen hut of David;
from its ruins I shall rebuild it
and raise it up again,
so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord,
even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked.
Thus says the Lord who accomplishes these things,
known from of old.
It is my judgment, therefore,
that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God,
but tell them by letter to avoid pollution from idols,
unlawful marriage, the meat of strangled animals, and blood.
For Moses, for generations now,
has had those who proclaim him in every town,
as he has been read in the synagogues every sabbath.”
The Word of the Lord.
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Families can argue about the most ordinary things.
Growing up, my brother and I argued over whose turn it was to sit in the front seat of the car; what we wanted for dinner; whether or not I could wear his clothes; or whether or not his friends could also be mine.
Parents can argue over how to raise their children, where to go on vacation, how much money to spend on a home, how to best communicate, and so on.
What arguments arise in your family?
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Debate also happens within the Church. Jesus didn’t leave us a “how to” manual for every problem or an answer to every question. Instead, he gives us his Holy Spirit, who leads us to the Truth.
The Acts of the Apostles describes how the early Church discerned answers to significant questions together.
In today’s reading, for example, the question arises: must Gentile converts follow Jewish practices? Or is following Christ alone enough? How exactly is one saved?
The Apostles discerned the answers to their questions in three ways: they prayed together, they fasted, and they broke bread, meaning they celebrating Eucharist.
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What if we applied the same practices to our own friendships and families?
When conflict arises, pray together – ask for wisdom and humility, fast, then break bread together at Mass. If the first Christians found God working in these ways, certainly the Lord can still do so today.
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Image credits: (1) Family Drama by Elchicoctriste, (2) Hillsong Church Watch (3) A Family That Prays Together Stays Together, Frost Resources