The community of believers witnessed to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus by taking care of each other’s needs. Today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the life of the first Christian community (known as the post-resurrection community). While a legitimate security concern might have led to them coming together (they were still living in fear of persecution from the authorities), it appears this was not the ONLY reason. According to the evangelist Luke, this apostolic community wanted to bear witness to the resurrection of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Their continued existence as a group was itself a proof that the movement founded by Jesus was not “dead,” and that if it was still in existence, so was its founder. Secondly, Jesus’ resurrection was not only a victory over death but also a vindication of his life and ministry (that is, everything that Jesus was about). There was no better way to show this than to embody the life and ministry of Jesus in their very lives. Jesus’ resurrection proves that what Jesus proclaimed was indeed true and possible. What did Jesus proclaim? 
Jesus proclaimed the in-breaking of the kingdom of God. He proclaimed through the words of his mouth as well as through the mighty signs he worked that God is alive and continues to act concretely in the world. This active presence of God was visible in the concern that Jesus had for the people, especially those who were most vulnerable. It is this very concern for one’s brothers and sisters that forms the basis of the post-resurrection community’s coming together. The resurrection of Jesus was a transformative event that has to be reflected in the lives of those who profess it. The early Christian community was aware of this only too well. They could not continue claiming to be proclaimers of the good news if there were needy members in their midst. They could not claim to have set their eyes on the resurrection if they still harbored attachment to material things. Like their master, they had to learn how to use the blessings that God had given them for the salvation of the entire community. After all, this is what the resurrection is all about.