THE  COMMON  LIFE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Monday in the Second Week of Easter is, “The Common Life.”

There are some Bible texts and readings that we totally ignore - perhaps semi-consciously - because they are too challenging.

There are some church goers who won’t forgive their brother or sister from their heart 70 times 7 times - even though Jesus said we need to do that. [Cf. Matthew 18: 22.]

Today I want to highlight and reflect upon the opening sentence in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. It’s Acts 4: 32: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”

Now that’s both a challenging  text - and a “Wait a minute text.”

It hasn’t been erased or expunged or manipulated out of existence from our scriptures for some 2000 years now.

UH OH MOMENTS

Before I came to Annapolis I was stationed in Lima, Ohio and from time to time I would hear about some folks from some years earlier - folks from different parishes in the area - who had left everything - families included - and went to live a common life on a farm that was bought by  the group.

And everything was thrown into the common pot and taken from the common pot.  It lasted a few years. It broke up some marriages and families and what have you. Looking back,  I never got nosey enough to try to meet anyone and find out about anyone  who tried this way of life.

In Christian communities down through the centuries, groups and individuals tried living in common. We see this clearly in the Early Church - especially in these  readings - after Easter - like today’s first reading.

How long did that movement last?  Was it because folks were expecting the End - the Parousia?  When that didn’t happen, did this visionary way of living life end?

Have you ever wondered or thought about living in a commune - and living a community life with a group of people.

From time to time I’m sure you have heard us Redemptorists talk about our parish and our community in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

And / or you might have heard that they have a historical spot in Ephrata called, “The Cloisters.”

It was where a German immigrant - named Joseph  Conrad Bissel - started in 1732 - a strict community of Christians.  1732  was 100 years before we Redemptorists  came to America.

In 1732 - that same year -  in Scala Italy - just up the steps from Amalfi - St. Alphonsus started the Redemptorists. We were to live as community - and preach and work as community - but the emphasis was on the work of preaching together more than the common life together.

That area of Pennsylvania has a history of several types of communal living. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Amish and the Mennonites.

Next, I’ve never heard of anyone who made a comparative study about these strict Christian communities and religious orders and congregations.

How about looking into the Mennonites as compared to  the Franciscans?

That would be a good study.

I had a job called Novice Master for 9 years - for 9 different classes - and I was with them in living a common life for a year - not working together, but living, learning and being together. It was a wonderful experience.  And we Redemptorists  are a religious community with the vows of Poverty - Chastity - and Obedience.

Next, I would assume, if someone spent a year living with the Mennonites or Amish or a year living with the Redemptorists or Franciscans or Sisters of Notre Dame - you would see similarities and you would see differences.

With regards money - and the common pot - and common ownership - in principle you would see underneath a common vision.

I don’t have a bank account - or oodles of money. We go out to dinner many a Sunday night as a community. We went to Adam’s Ribs this Sunday night - 7 of us. I got a Cheeseburger - burnt to death with fries and cold slaw. Someone else got salmon. Someone else got ribs.

The money came from a common box

There are benefits from this type of living. I have never had to worry about money in my life. 

CONCLUSION: A LEARNING

Now I could end here, but as I was thinking about this, something hit me.

I would suggest  taking some time to reflect upon common ownership and more sharing of our goods - and money - as we read in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

What is like to have a vow of poverty - and live a common life?  Do the Redemptorists who serve in this parish as priests and in the past with brothers as well  - and also the School Sisters of Notre Dame - witness anything to the people of this parish?

Would families - reading today’s first reading - see their life as living a common Christian life together? Do Catholic Families ever think about the best way to budget their money and tithe their money - and look at values - and capitalism - and greed - and need - and maybe share more with the poor?

I have lived this common pot and common way of doing life since 1960.

I have read the Prophets Amos and Hosea when it comes to the poor.

I have read the Social Justice Letters or Encyclicals of modern popes about lots of issues when it comes to all this.

I know  St. Basil said, “The bread in your bread box belongs to the hungry;  the coat in your closet belongs to the naked; the shoes you let rot belong to the barefoot, the money in your vault belongs to the poor”.

I would ask people to read Matthew 25: 31-46 - the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - about the great judgment at the end of the world - and wonder, “Maybe Jesus is very serious about all this.”