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2 Peter 1: 2-7
Beloved:
May grace and peace be yours in abundance
through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has bestowed on us
everything that makes for life and devotion,
through the knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and power.
Through these, he has bestowed on us
the precious and very great promises,
so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature,
after escaping from the corruption that is in the world
because of evil desire.
For this very reason,
make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,
self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion,
devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.
The Word of the Lord.
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By the end of the first century, there were an estimated 10,000 Christians living in the Roman Empire, roughly 0.02% of the entire population. Two-hundred years later, Christians accounted for 10% of the population, roughly 6 million people.
It’s hard to imagine the Church growing under dire circumstances. But in spite of Christians being persecuted, treated like second-class citizens, and some even abandoned by their families, our faith spread like wildfire.
Why?
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While there are many factors to consider – above all the gift of the Holy Spirit – there were three key themes, which also serve as the pillars of our parish mission statement: Belong. Believe. Behave.
Even amongst the pagans, Christians were known for their resourcefulness and charity. They cared for their widows and orphans; they lived in community; and, when necessary, they even gave their lives for each other.
In a word, they “belonged” to each other.
They also believed what Christ taught. Not simply in terms of bearing knowledge; they also shaped their lives accordingly. Perhaps one of the most important teachings Christians clung to was their belief in Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist.
As Saint Justin Martyr, whose feast day we celebrate today, wrote in the year 130 AD, “The bread and wine become the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.”
Catholics still hold this belief today.
Finally, they behaved like their Lord; they integrated Christ’s teachings of love and forgiveness so deeply into their lives that unbelievers became believers.
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The early Christians remind us that the Church can – and should – grow under any circumstance. While the challenges we face today may differ, the opportunity for growth comes at the same cost.
We will convert the nations if we belong to each other; believe what Christ taught; and behave accordingly.
Saint Justin Martyr, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) Churchgrowth.org.uk (2) Christian Catholic Media (3) Word on Fire