“Brothers and sisters:
“As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.
“For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all give to drink of one Spirit.
“Now the body is not a single part, but many.
“If foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,’ it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
“Or if an ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,’ it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
“But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
“Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.
“But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
“If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.
“Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27)
What is the message of Saint Paul for the people of Corinth? Saint Paul is trying to convey the head is Christ and we, the people, have the obligation to share our talent to others.
We have many gifts to share and in order that community can be benefited by it; we have to surrender ourselves to the Spirit of God and share our talent in which we acquire during our baptism.
Remember, when we were confirmed we have to release that gift and share to our community.
The body of Christ has many parts with different gift.
If we are willing to give it and share that to our community, we may be able to see the body of Christ.
In this world, we are the eyes of Christ but yours. We are the hands of Christ but yours. We are the feet of Christ but yours, and we are the voice of Christ but yours.
In totally, we can see the wholeness of Christ within our inner self if we are willing to accept Christ as our personal Savior?
People are fighting each other because of pride and greed. We want to be ahead of the game with others because of our personal ambition.
We love to compete who is the best among ourselves instead of giving up our negative thoughts to Christ and accept the love and compassion that he commends us to do.
It is hard for us to understand who God is. However, this day and age, we refused to accept who God is and accept the responsibility to reach out to others with our gifts.
If we are not willing to accept the gift that God has given us, then we may not be able to participate and understand the teaching of Christ?
As Christ walked on this earth, we have to respond to the call of God in order to release the gift of the Holy Spirit to make the church vibrant to see its gifts and use them in accordance with its function.
Pope Benedict XV1 proclaims the year of faith, it is our duty to evangelize others and bring our brothers and sisters home to encourage them to utilize their gifts and be a part of the body of Christ.
To reflect this week’s reading, have we ever asked ourselves to open our hearts to Jesus to serve him, to love him, to die for him?
The question here … are we willing to open ourselves to serve God in order to share the gift of the Holy Spirit to shine the gift of its fruits for the common good of the church?
We have a choice to make the difference and change our thinking to practice the gift, and flourish on that gift so that everyone can be benefited from it.
Are we ready to accept and release the gift, so we can partake in the body of Christ as one body and many parts to share what we have?
Comments