The people in Corinth are addressed by Paul today in the
texts from the Roman Catholic lectionary. He enumerates some of the many gifts
of God for the community and identifies the gifts with the roles of apostle,
teacher, preacher, healer and those with the gift of speaking and
interpretation of tongues. Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul was attempting
to correct the misassumption among the people that the gift of tongues was
superior to the other gifts because it demonstrated the full control of the
person by the Spirit. (a proto-Gnostic idea?). The Christian understanding is
the gifts are given by God to and for the community. Friar Jude suggests that
the learned Paul borrows an idea of the body of humanity from Stoic philosophy.
The philosophies of human thought developed by creatures of God are valid sources
for study by believers who may see the struggle for the understanding of place
in the universe which is only satisfied in communion with God. Community and
Providence are interlinked. The invitation to reawaken our awe at this
relationship of Infinite and Perfect with finite and imperfect is given through
the episode of the healing of the son of the widow of Nain in the Gospel from
Luke. Our personalities are gifts for the wider community. Luke, the physician,
is particularly aware of the compassionate actions of Jesus. Our sense of
justice, generosity, authority, order or mercy, our personal philosophy, will highlight
to us the aspects of Jesus ministry which we can illuminate for the greater
glory of God and fuller life in the community.
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