Community in Christ: Austin McDonald
The following homily was shared at our Sunday Evening Eucharist service 4/12/26.
Scripture Readings:
Upon reading the first reading, I noticed something. There isn’t a name mentioned across the whole reading aside from God or the Lord. Not one. It talks about the apostles, but as a group. As a community.
Furthermore, this got me thinking. Community is important with Christ. I feel that it is pretty evident across scripture and practice. Even from the start, Jesus had 12 disciples. That’s a community. Across the Old Testament, it mentions nations, peoples, lands. Israel is a community. Each church has a community of believers and followers to study and follow the Word of God. When praying the Lord’s prayer, it says “Our Father,” “Give us our daily bread,” “Forgive us our debts.” We are praying not for ourselves, but our community. And we are called to build community with our fellow man through multiple ways. It takes a community to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and clothe the naked.
So, yes, community is important. But what you do with the community is more important. The apostles, they ate together, lived together, slept together, were poor together, and were rich together. Of course, the apostles were small in number, so the live together thing would be harder to implement with us. I’m not sure Tayt would enjoy all of us living in his house. But the point still stands that the apostles as a community moved as one. That is a lesson that oftentimes gets looked over. Community works as one voice, amplified through many mouths. The one voice of Christ emanating through all of us in here, out there, and beyond.
On a secondary note, communities need repairs sometimes, but Godly communities can rebuild themselves with Christ. If you look at the Gospel reading, Thomas struggled to believe Jesus’ resurrection. Under stresses of hiding from the Jews, his knowledge that Jesus was dead, and everything else that went on with Thomas, he struggled to believe in Christ’s resurrection. But, the community of disciples, with Jesus at the head, led Thomas back into the fold, and into his own discipleship.
Like a tree with a branch cut off, the disciples repaired and regrew. Through the troubles and through the storms, their community built each other up. Thomas went on to bring the Gospel into Persia and India, in communities that are still standing today. The apostles continued to bring people to salvation. The ACF has done the same for an innumerable amount of people. That is the power of community. You will have troubles in your life. There have been struggles you have faced and there will be struggles you have yet to face. But, with the community and power of Christ behind you, you cannot fail. The apostles brought people to God and salvation through their devotion and their community. While they were some of the first, they were not the only. The same Holy Spirit which resided inside of them resides within each of you now. And just as it says in the scripture how the “Lord added to their number those who were being saved,” the Lord has and will continue to add to our number those saved, as well.
That is all I have. Amen, and God bless you all.
Austin McDonald is a freshman at Louisiana Tech majoring in mechanical engineering. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, shooting pool, and exploring Ruston. We are grateful for his wisdom, willingness to serve, and for the opportunity to know him during his first year at Tech! We look forward to the ways the Lord will continue to pursue him.