The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. — Psalm 93:1

Mass Readings: Acts 4:32-37/John 3:7b-15 

The Perfect Church 

What’s your idea of the perfect church? Today’s first reading describes almost nostalgically a Christian community where everyone held their possessions in common and, even more enviably, all the believers were “of one heart and one mind.” 

Today, though, the early Christian community as a model might give pause even to many devout Catholics. All property shared in common? In my “normal” parish, about two-thirds of the members contribute nothing to the offertory. And unanimous agreement on all religious issues was probably already a lost ideal by the time Acts was written. Every church community works out the details of the “perfect church” for itself, articulates the ideal and strives to approach it. Since the beginning, though, the essential requirements have been the same: faith, charity, and a large dose of hope. 

Prayer: God, send down Your Spirit on our Church.