Treasuring Diversity While Enjoying Unity

Devotional Reflection, Friday, October 13, 2023

Proper 22, the week of the nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. . . .

18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 986)

AM Psalm 140, 142; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12)

2 Kings 23:36-24:17; 1 Cor. 12:12-26; Matt. 9:27-34

David's Reflections

The various parts of the human body function with a rather amazing interconnectedness and interdependence that we overlook and take for granted. If you have a splitting headache or break an arm, or injure a foot, the rest of your body experiences that dis-ease and feels its impact. People who lose a limb or an eye can vouch for how drastically they feel the effect of that loss.

Paul presents to the frazzled Corinthian faith community the image of the faith community as Christ’s body in which each member has specific functions and in which each member radically depends on and needs every other. In Corinth, people who were experiencing some of the more dramatic and ecstatic of the spiritual gifts (ecstatic speech, healing, prophecy) evidently felt superior to those who could not claim to speak ecstatically or heal or prophesy. Those who had been enabled by God for less dramatic ministries like "helps" and "administrations," for example, felt disparaged. Those with the "greater" gifts may well have been urging their experience on the others as desirable for everyone.

Paul's response falls back on the analogy of the human body. Every part has vital functions for the good of the entire body. No part is dispensable. No part of the human body would dare disparage another, because the entire body needs every part. Paul reminds them that we express special care for the “less honorable” parts of the body by clothing them, a courtesy we don’t extend to eyes, ears, hands.

For us, two statements have special import. First, "in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." (v. 13) We all experience an initial, sacramental anointing of the Holy Spirit in Holy Baptism. No Christian lacks the presence of Christ. We all have the same rich spiritual resources within us.

And, second, "God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as God chose." (v. 18). We all have very important spiritual enablements from God, as God has seen fit to enable us. Those are not our choices to make. We certainly can pray for a certain gift (see 12:31), but gifts come to us by God’s choice. And, the church needs each of us to give ourselves to God and to give ourselves in service in and through the church and in the world. If any of us withholds ourselves the body suffers, just as it would if the eyes took a week off.

In the church, one would hope space exists for each of us to find his and her unique place and to savor the joy of knowing that others will benefit from what we give as we benefit from what everyone else gives. I continue to enjoy watching people step forward to serve in worship leadership, in hospitality, in assisting with outreach ministries, in inviting others to join us, in welcoming those who come for the first time, in administering the finances, and in zillions of other ways.

Collect of the Day, Proper 22 The nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 234)

Of the Holy Cross

Especially suitable for Fridays

Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 253)

A Prayer for Light

Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)

A Collect for Mission

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 280)

Daily Office Epistle, 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If the foot would say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear would say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ 22On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer