not too big, not too small, but just right
Jesus "named twelve as His companions whom He would send to preach the good news; they were likewise to have authority to expel demons." —Mark 3:14-15
Jesus needed twelve apostles and so do we. We have our small immediate family and our larger church, but we also need something in-between. We need a Christian community that's large enough to build us up through many and varied gifts but small enough to be personal and a true brotherhood and sisterhood. We need an extended family, cell group, church-home, or "communaute de base" (basic community). Whatever we call them, we must have them to have a full Christian life.
Christianity is a life of love and of laying down our lives for the brethren (1 Jn 3:16). We need brothers and sisters in the truest sense of the word to have the makings of Christianity. The people the Lord calls to form a group will be weak and sinful, just like the first apostles, yet they are our Christian family. God will work through them. We will give and receive much that would not have been possible except for our little group of apostles. We must have both the Temple and the home (Acts 2:46; 5:42), the large group and the small group. That's God's will for us.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, lead me to new relationships as You did the Church after Pentecost.
Promise: "May the Lord reward you generously for what you have done this day." —1 Sm 24:20
Praise: St. Fabian was called "an incomparable man" and was elected Pope while a layman.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape What is Christian Community? on audio AV 76-1 or video V-76.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 19, 2005
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