Community Formation Around Resurrection Experience

    Resurrection of Jesus Christ led to the formation of a Community (of believers) who firmly believed in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The words of Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:14 ("And If Christ Has Not Been Raised, Then Our Proclamation Has Been In Vain And Your Faith Has Been In Vain") echoes the same thought. Even today this small community of believers stand as a model for all the communities to follow for a harmonious living.

    The community that we live in today is fragmented based on Caste, Religion, Race, Language, Status and Gender and so on. There are people and parties who fuel up Hatred and Ostracisation based on such diabolic forces. Today, we encounter an additional diabolical force by the name "Corona Virus - Covid19 Pandemic". This diabolical force is isolating, stigmatizing and dispersing people across the globe. In such a milieu, the text Acts 4:32-35 calls us to engage in trying to form a community that will inevitably provide a Compassionate, Healing and Harmonial Experience to all around us.

    Acts 4:32-35 speaks about the "Life in the First Christian Community". This small group which believed in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth experienced the power which the Resurrected Jesus of Nazareth gave them. This community shows us three important qualities for us to follow:

    1. Unity: Acts 4:32a says that "The Whole Group Of Those Who Believed Were Of One Heart And Soul". Every Community needs to have Unity. Unity doesn't ever mean Uniformity. Today's Diabolical Forces seek Unity through Uniformity. But the Early Christian Community sought Unity in Diversity. There were People who did not have anything (Peasants, Farmers, Fishermen etc) and at the same there were People who possessed lands and farms, yet they lived in Unity by holding everything in Common. Uniformity seeks to destroy the individuality a person or family possess, but Unity in the midst of Diversity cherishes those differences and yet stay together for greater good of Life, Love and Fellowship.

    2. Witness: Acts 4:33 says that "With Great Power The Apostles Gave Their Testimony To The Resurrection Of The Lord Jesus, And Great Grace Was Upon Them All". Apostle Peter in Acts 3:15 says "And You Killed The Author Of Life, Whom God Raised From The Dead. To This We Are Witnesses". The Community openly testified to two things: First was that "Roman Government and its Rulers & Jewish Religious/Temple Authorities Killed Jesus" and Second was that "God Rose Jesus of Nazareth from the Dead". Witnessing not simply by their words but rather by their life. Though they very well knew the repercussions of this witness, they never held back to identify those diabolical forces and also to identify the life-giving and life-saving power of God in Jesus. Even today while our country is battling with Pandemic, we are more crippled by the diabolical forces who blame economy, other religions, other groups for the spread and suffering. In such times, we too, just like the Early Christian Community, with loud shout should say "You Poisoned & Killed Our Diverse Country".

    3. Service: Acts 4:34-35 says that "There Was Not A Needy Person Among Them... And It Was Distributed To Each As Any Had Need". The Early Christian Community addressed the needs of those were with and around them. It is unbelievable and fascinating to see what kind of Service they lend to those with and around them. Those who had lands/possessions sold them and kept it at the feet of the Apostles and it was distributed to each as any had need. It was not Equality but rather Equity Service. Today those who have want more and those who don't have are given less. Equality is not appropriate method of service especially in a context like India, where Rich get Richer and Poor get Poorer. The picture below shows us that Equality doesn't always suite for the betterment of Community. The Sad Truth is that both our Community and Church fails in this model of Service. We seek Equal Distribution of Possessions, but Justice is to have Equity Distribution.

    Even today, there are people who can afford to pay Lakhs and Crores to treat themselves of the Pandemic (for whom best treatment is offered), while on the other hand we encounter Poor People who are standing in long queues for treatment, two people sharing the same bed for treatment, women sitting with oxygen cylinders on road, and children lying down in front of hospitals. Equal Service is useful but not always and especially not in desperate times. Desperate times need Desperate measures and at times Equity takes us towards Justice.

    Let us as Human Community strive to be in Unity, Testify against the Diabolic Forces and render our Service by showing compassion, by helping in healing of our brothers and sisters irrespective of Caste, Religion, Race, Gender, Status and so on by doing small and simple acts of kindness by giving them money, feeding them and providing them with medicines or treatment, so that we may one day move towards a better future which echos "One World-One People".