Selection from Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 2011-01-24 Mon 08:45 READINGS BIBLE REFLECTION
1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 1:10-17
[Portion in brackets, verse 14-17, is not part of the Sunday Mass
reading]
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you all speak the same thing and that there be no schisms among
you: but that you be perfect in the same mind and in the same
judgment. For it hath been signified unto me, my brethren, of you, by
them that are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among
you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith: I indeed am of
Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ
divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the
name of Paul? [I give God thanks, that I baptized none of you but
Crispus and Caius: Lest any should say that you were baptized in my
name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanus. Besides, I know
not whether I baptized any other.] For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of
Christ should be made void."
Some first thoughts on this reading
The first thing that strikes me is about the divisions in the
Christian Community. All of the protestant communions that keep
dividing and sub-dividing. Not to say people can't have disagreements
about the best way to do certain things but not about others. The
principles of faith and morals aren't negotiable. If you are going to
be Christian and follow Christ he has certain things that are right
and true and that's just the way it is.
Second thought
I like how it is said that Paul is sent to preach and not in wisdom of
speech because that would take away meaning of the cross of Christ.
Speech and logic aren't what makes Christianity meaningful. One of
the things I have learned is that no matter the logic (and it is
present and exists as a consolation for the mind) it doesn't give the
suffer meaning. The cross of Christ that we are called to take up and
carry isn't something we can do based upon logic but in coming to know
Christ and His love for us in the cross. Knowing that love, in the
sense that spouses know each other, and expressing back love to
Christ.
Third thought
The most important schism that I need to work to avoid is two-fold.
First, I must conform myself to Christ in His Church present here on
earth. Second, I must lead my family in unity. My wife, myself and
my children must act together. Not to say that we are never going to
have conflicts but we must learn to resolve them. We must learn to
work together better as family or we can never learn to work together
as a Christian community. It is a grave scandal when we have schism
and disunity. As a father this must be done in how I act and what I
do and not in logically convincing anyone.
Matthew S.
