Sunday January 27th: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. Francis Parish | January 23, 2019, 10:18 pm | Reflections
This Sunday we hear from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians chapter 12:12-30. Paul is explaining to the people of Corinth how we are all parts of the Body of Christ.
It is easy to look at this on a very superficial level. We have been taught that we are the Body of Christ and that this means that we are the Church. We understand that Christ is the Head of the Body and that we all play our own specific roles. However, when we think of what role we might play, how do we see ourselves? We may think of ourselves as a foot, or perhaps an arm or a hand. We see ourselves as carrying a heavy load; the foot. Or perhaps in putting something together; the hand. Where we fall into a trap is that we more often than not see ourselves as independent. It is easy to think that if the body wants something, the hand will grab it. If the body decides to go somewhere, the feet will carry it.
What we fail to see and must reflect on in a much deeper level is the level of dependence each part of the body has. In order for the hand to grab something, it must depend on several bones, tendons, arteries, blood cells and nerves all working together to achieve a common goal. Another aspect is the extreme level of trust one part of the body has in another. In use of our motor skills, most of us never think about whether or not all the parts of our bodies will do their part to achieve a task. We simply trust.
For us today, we must first discern what might be our role. How do we contribute to the building of God’s Kingdom? This demands constant prayer and the acceptance that our roles can change as we grow. This also requires a surrender of will. We must be willing to accept and trust God’s will and realize our dependence on Him as well as those he puts in our lives. For there is not a single part of the body that can exist entirely on its own and of its own will. As parts of the body, we are all guided by the head and that head is Jesus.