My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Sometimes we might wonder how the first Christians lived out their faith. Does it have any relevance to the Church in our day. It most certainly does. The book of the Bible that refers to early Church life is the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. Luke. I refer you to Acts 2:42 quoted above. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings.” Clearly, Jesus handed on His authority to teach, shepherd, and sanctify to the apostles and their successors. If fact, all must do this. Notice that this instruction shows that the Church carried on the mission handed on to them at the Lord’s Ascension. The best summary in our day of these teachings is found in the official Catechism of the Catholic Church. “And fellowship”- Christians are called to form a community of faith, hope, and love. We are the body of Christ, the people of God. We need to work together to support one another in this earthy pilgrimage. We need each other. Sign up for the St. Patrick’s Day dinner on March 26 so we can renew our friendships and make new ones. See you there. “The breaking of the bread” - Jesus said at the Last Supper “Do this in memory of me” ordaining the first priests and giving them the power to continue the Holy Mass throughout time until His return. Right after the Resurrection his disciples recognized Him in the “breaking of the bread.” We do the same by assisting at Mass at least on all Sundays and holydays of obligation. The Lord told us to do this. Clearly, this is His plan. “the prayers” -Besides the Holy Mass we must be a people of prayer. The official prayer book of the Church uses the psalms, Scriptures, and the writings of the saints for every day of the year. The Rosary is a powerful prayer that belongs in every home. Morning and night prayers, prayers before and after meals, and many other prayers sustain us. With you on The Way, Fr. Mark G. Mazza, Pastor