By Fr Trevor D’Souza –
(Acts 6:1-7)
Some of us live under the impression that the early church was full of holy men and women, who lived pious lives, full of charity and love. Do not stop your reading at Acts 4, go further to read for yourself.
Where two or more human beings live together in a society, there is bound to be problems and difficulties that will crop up. Only a person living by oneself, perhaps, has no problems !!!
But here we are not interested in the problem of the early church, but how they resolved the problem and what is its implications for us today.
Acts 6 speaks about a problem in the early church, which is prevalent in our church even today, namely, the problem of partiality, favouritism and nepotism based on language and culture.
There was a complaint from the Greek speaking Jews against the Hebrew speaking Jews, that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
How did the apostles resolve this issue?
They gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (vv 2-4)
It is said, that “the proposal pleased the whole group”. They choose seven men full of faith and the Holy Spirit and presented them to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
On the day of my priestly ordination, I was told in no uncertain words by the Bishop, that I was being ordained priest, to serve at the Table of the Lord (Sacraments) and Table of the Word (preaching).
It is my fervent hope and prayer that myself and all ordained ministers, read Acts 6 and the rite of ordination time and again, that we may keep ourselves on the right path. Let the words of the apostles, “it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables…we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” keep ringing in our ears and echo in our heart.
It is so easy to get trapped in the lure of running educational institutions, social welfare centers, constructing huge buildings and churches, organizing mega programmes, etc., at the high cost of neglecting prayer, ministry of the word and administration of sacraments.
These are the words of the Bishop addressed to the person being ordained priest, “My dear son, ponder well the order you have taken and the burden laid on your shoulders. Strive to lead a holy and devout life, and to please almighty God” (Rite of Ordination).
Building the Kingdom of God does not mean constructing big buildings, but building up the lives of people and their souls under our care.
What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and in the end lose his own soul (Mt 16:26).