Friars Corner: Pray for unity in the One Body of Christ
Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR
Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19:8-10, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27; Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21
We can all be high and lifted up in God’s presence. This is the prayer to the Holy Spirit from the Byzantine Liturgy.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, who are everywhere present and fill all things, a treasury of blessings and giver of life, come and increase Your presence within us, cleanse us of all stain (sin) and save us, o gracious Lord.
Lord, please help us to work together to build up and expand the unity in the Body of Christ we were incorporated into at our baptism.
In the last three weeks, we have looked at the manifestation of Jesus’ divine nature as revealed in the gospels. We thought of the Magi traveling 33 days to worship and offer their gifts to the new king of the world. Then we quickly saw the conversion grace of water baptism of John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire. Last week, the church generally reflected on Jesus’ first miracle changing water into the best wine at the wedding of Cana. Yet, I was focusing on the second reading of 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 about some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Ministry gifts
Last week I listed the nine gifts St Paul gives us and three other lists of gifts. God chooses to give us different gifts to help others. We call these ministry gifts. They are ways God’s power flows through us to help others. St. Paul said in Ephesians 4:11, these ministries are given “in roles of service to build up the Body of Christ.”
This means that God is giving us some gifts (his power) to help others in our family, workplace and parish to grow. We haven’t talked about these various gifts in the past. Many Catholics felt that once they got confirmed, there was nothing else. That is not what the Bible tells us. We are empowered by God to go out, using our gifts to help others in need and bring them to know and love Jesus.
I see as a great example of this in the annual Pro-Life March in Washington. Tens of thousands go to that March from across at least this part of the country. These marchers consist of mostly young people. The knowledge of the life issue from conception until natural death is becoming clearer to many in our country. When you watched more of the videos and later stories, they show the love of Jesus flowing through those young high school students from Covington Catholic and their many prayers to rescue our pro-death and anti-family culture. When I looked at the smile on Nick Sandmann, standing before the Native American, Nathan Phillips, I see great love, peace and joy, not confrontation. He was helping calm his fellow students from getting out of hand. We can see a little of the hearts of these young Catholics wanting to help make American great and stand against satan and his death plans.
Service gifts for the body
Today, the church gives us a follow-up to last weeks gifts list. Verse 28 lists three more gifts, when you take out the doubles found in verses 9-11 above. Paul added teachers, assistants and administrators. This list is more administrative responsibilities or service leaders. In the past, the church has called these ministries the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
The Corinthians, and sometimes ourselves, can get caught up in what gifts or abilities others have and feel jealous and envious. St. Paul writes to them to correct that comparison or put down of others. Paul compares these gifts to our human body. Our body was greatly designed by God and each part is vital for the functioning. We are the greatest electro-chemical creation on earth. We are not machines but beautiful human persons. Our body has many parts and functions. Our eyes are not our hands or feet. Each has its own necessary function. The brain inside our skull is a huge computer system, which coordinates all the functions of our body. There may be some problems in certain areas since none of us are perfect.
The important point here is that, like our human body, we are connected by our baptism to be part of the Body of Christ in the church Jesus founded and the Holy Spirit continues to direct. Our family and parish will be better and grow if all of us, as part of Christ’s body, use our gifts to help the whole structure develop.
Cycle C readings
This year we are in the C cycle of readings. We shall read from the gospel of St. Luke. Along with the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke wrote one-third of the New Testament. He wanted to give a fuller picture of our faith from its beginning after at least Mark and Matthew had written their gospels. Today, Jesus had come back from his temptation by satan in the desert and went to the synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown. On Saturday, the Lord’s Day, Jesus stood up to read from the of Isaiah scroll, 61:1ff.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
To bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Jesus returned the scroll to the attendant and began to tell the people, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” With this Jesus’ public ministry really begins. We will read St. Luke’s ongoing saga each Sunday this year in ordinary time and at daily Mass, we shall continue reading from St. Mark until Lent begins.
What are your gifts?
If you have already been confirmed, and as you reflect on St. Paul’s lists of gifts, ask yourself what gifts God has given you to use to help build up your parish community. We all have different combinations of gifts. If we do not cooperate with the Holy Spirit in using our gifts, then the parish is less effective. We are to help fill up the church, not close it. St. Mark tells us at the end of his gospel: young high school students from Covington Catholic young high school students from Covington Catholic “Go forth into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,” if they cooperate. “These are the signs that will mark those who believe: in My Name they will cast out demons. They will be granted the gift of speaking in new languages,” etc, Mark 16:15-17.
These are some of the good things we all need to hear. Let us continue to read these scriptures and pray Chaplets of Divine Mercy to help drive out the demons in our country. Thank God the government shut down has ended for now. We need to keep begging heaven for help.
Peace and all good,
+ Fr. Bob Hilz
fbhilz@gmail.com
(© 2019 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)
