7 May 2021
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” (Jn 15:12)
The Acts of the Apostles does not finish its record of the debate with simply the decision of St. James. Rather, we see two last aspects of the apostolic response to the debate in Antioch about the necessity of circumcision for salvation. First, the apostles in Jerusalem make Judas and Silas responsible for communicating the apostolic response to the debate. St.s Paul and Baranabas, original participants in the initial debate do indeed get sent to Antioch and officially mentioned in the apostlic letter. However, it is to others who were not arguing in the first place, Judas and Silas, that the responsibility of communicating the terms of reconciliation and unity in Antioch falls. The apostles do not so much take sides (although Paul and Barnabas were largely correct), as they do show both sides how to be on the side of Scripture and in accordance with apostolic Tradition. Secondly, Judas and Silas, sent by the apostles, remain until unity is found again in Antioch. They call everyone together (presumably those on both sides of the debate), they deliver the letter of the apostles to be read to everyone. Nor do they remain content with simply delivering the letter, but they stay until everyone finds genuine delight in the exhortation from St. James and the others, and sees how they can joyfully live the Christian life together with those whom they had engaged in debate.
How is such unity possible? Perhaps the Church at Antioch was able to reunite because it did not forget the standard of the commandment given by Christ: our love is to follow His love, “Love one another as I love you.” (Jn 15:12) Christ’s love is not one that seeks its own interests (cf 1 Cor 13:5), but rather led Him to lay down His life for His friends. (Jn 15:13) Only because those in the debate at Antioch could lay aside their own pride in this important argument about salvation, and humbly turn to the apostles, because of that humble love they could accept the decision of the apostles and join together again. Let us pray to allow our love to truly seek the standard of the Risen Christ’s sacrificial love for us, so that our unity with our brothers and sisters may truly be a witness to the world that God who is Love has become incarnate and gives us the grace to remain in Him as He remains in us.