In first reading today, we hear about the Council of Jerusalem. This was the first church council. From the Council of Jerusalem to Vatican II, our most recent. This was the first. And upon this example you can see similarities. Now in the reading today I am going to touch on a little bit that wasn't included. It gives you the first two verses, then skips 21 verses, and picks up again at verse 22. There's a couple things I want to point out.
Paul and the others go to Jerusalem with a question. We need a decision on a question, it's not clear. It's kind of funny because at the beginning it says, "Circumcision, there was no small discussion about this subject." OK, and you can imagine why. It's not clear, what do we do? So they take it to the Church. Why? Because, Jesus founded the Church on Peter, the apostles became the Priests, Bishops specifically, and at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes down, and they are speaking different languages but everyone is understanding them. Over the time that Jesus was with them, before he ascends, which will be celebrated next Sunday at the Ascension, they get the picture. Jesus follows it up. Peter has a vision of dreams. The Gentiles don't need to have dietary law anymore and all that. We've kind of been walking through the Acts of the Apostles. So the Apostles get it. Paul gets it. We need to talk about this. The Church needs to decide. And it's not just the Church deciding, a bunch of men deciding, men with pointy hats deciding, it's men of the Church guided by the Holy Spirit, and we believe the two are wed, if you will.