Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 20:28-38; John 17:11b-19)
Today’s first reading voices three concerns that have echo
in the contemporary Church. The first
regards the “presbyters” of Ephesus whom Paul calls “overseers.” Most scholars think that when Paul passed
through Miletus, around the year 57 A.D., the offices of presbyter, equivalent
to priest today, and bishop, a common translation of the Greek word for overseer,
did not exist. The scholars say that Luke,
the author of Acts, uses the terms which had become common at the time of his
writing, twenty-five years or so later. The
question bears on the formation of ministerial categories and whether women
might occupy the governing offices.
Paul’s warning about men coming forth “perverting the truth
to draw the disciples away” has been a continual Church challenge. Today as much as ever former priests and
laypersons start their own Christian communities of faith. More monumental, the Catholic bishops of
Germany now verge on schism over the Church’s teachings on sex.
Finally, Paul hints at scandal caused by pastors’ taking unscrupulously
from community savings. He says that he avoided
any semblance of misconduct by always working for his upkeep. Pastors abusing the community’s trust
regarding money is still an issue, but much more serious is clerical abuse of
minors. Whatever might be said to
understand the situation, the outrage has both crippled innocent lives and set back
evangelization efforts.
All the episodes in the Acts of the Apostles have some
relevancy today. But as we read the
book, let us give attention to how it describes the early Church. Acts sees the Church as guided by the Holy
Spirit to form an ever-expanding community of love as commanded by its founder.
