THE BODY OF CHRIST: THE INCLUSIVE CHURCH
The assembly of the people of God is the living body of Christ: the inclusive Church for all. The Church is not just a building or a place of gathering. The Church is a body created by God the Father, saved by God the Son and governed by the Holy Spirit who sanctifies it. The purpose of the Church as a living institution alive and active and constantly undergoing transformation and reformation is the topic of the readings today.
The corruption of any institution begins with its inability to periodically renew or reform itself. Gladly, through the Holy Spirit, the Church is constantly undergoing renewal and reformations. These enable the Church to represent Christ better. Although these reformations do not come easily, there are many oppositions and reluctance by those whose existing status quo fit them.
Evidently, God is with his Church at every age and time. So the Church will always survive all adversaries against it from outside and within. However, the inability of the Church to reform itself based on the Gospel truth and signs of time do render it obsolete in the ever-changing world. The lack of internal reformation in the structures, mission and teachings of the Church makes us absolutely inconsequential in the world.
It is against this background that the role and presence of the Holy Spirit are fundamental in the prophetic, liturgical and teaching of the Church in the world.
OUR THEME
The scriptural readings of this 3rd Sunday emphasize two principles of our Christian faith that lead us to maturity and profundity. The Word of God and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit lead us to Christian unity. These also help us lead a life of service in the Christian Communities.
With the embodiment of the Holy Spirit at work in the Church and in us its members. There is no room for jealousy, envy and competition in the House or Church of God. There is room for the temperament, personality, gifts and talents of everyone or members in the Church.
Hence in this season of Ordinary Time, the liturgical calendar of the Church invites us to a season of tranquillity and growth spiritually. The readings of today invite us to celebrate the life-giving role of the Spirit in the history of the People of God, the Christian community and in the life, message and mission of Christ. In all, one of the themes is we celebrate as the body of Christ in which we all, laity and clergy, belong. We are invited and challenged to use our God-given talents, gifts and empowerment for the sake of his Church.
FR TONY KADAVIL THEME OF TODAY
The central theme of the Gospel presented the inaugural address of Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth. Where he outlined his mission of total liberation, one that marks a crucial moment in his public ministry.
The Scripture readings for today focus our attention on the importance and liberating power of the Word of God as sacramental, making God present in our midst. The biblical readings challenge us to listen to the Word of God and accept it into our hearts. Then we can put it into practice as we live out our lives, thus liberating ourselves and others from all types of bondages.
FIRST READING: NEHEMIAH 8:2-6, 8-10.
Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites set out to re-establish the Jewish Laws to bring his people back to the religion of Moses.
The spiritual renewal of Israel through the priest Ezra was a call for reforming the Jewish faith. He assures them of restoration to the glory lost due to sins. The renewing strength comes from the joy of having the Lord with us. Therefore, we are encouraged not to mourn or give in to desperation, instead let the Word of God be our comfort.
Thus, the Prophet Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10 proclaims the Word of God that moves the hearts and minds of Israel to tears and a profound desire to change their lifestyle. Indeed, the Word of God is awesomely powerful and life-changing!
OUR REACTION TO THE WORD OF GOD
The people of Israel wept on listening to the scriptures because the Word of God convicted them like a mirror. This, too, should be our experience with the Word of God. When the Word of God is proclaimed or preached, we can listen to it. It is supposed to make us sober, self-reflective and purpose-driven to change or mend our ways or lifestyles.
It is like standing before a mirror and seeing ourselves in it. Then, we come to know the defects in our physical appearance. Similarly, when we listen to the Word of God, the defects or errors in our souls become visible to our spiritual eyes. We become aware of whether our ways are the ways of God or not.
Sadly, today the contrary is the case with many of us. We are distracted when the Word of God is being proclaimed. Listening with attention to the Word of God is a liturgical act that is lost in the Eucharist and other celebrations in the Church.
More tragically, there is a mockery of the Word of God when it is being preached. And the listeners clapped for the preacher rather than sobriety of heart. It is like saying to the preacher well done for saying these things to them. Everyone else deserved to hear it, not him.
Another form of bastardization of the Word of God is when the preacher of the Word becomes an entertainer. Do not get me wrong here. There is a sense of humour that should go with preaching. However, it does not overshadow the seriousness or effectiveness of the Word.
As we read through the Word of God, let us read it slowly. When we read the Word of God meditatively. Then, we can reflect and interpret its message better. The Holy Spirit will help us to understand and put it into action.
PSALMS 19:8, 9, 10, 15
In his Apostolic Letter of 30 September 2019, “Aperuit illis”, Pope Francis established that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is the Sunday of the Word of God. Hence, on a Sunday, the Pope declares it as the Sunday of the Word of God. The Psalmist reminds us with the proclamation: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life (cf John 6:63c).
The fundamental truth here is that there can be no reformation or renewal of the Christian life without holistic adherence to the Word of God. The compass for our doctrinal, dogmatic, liturgical, pastoral and moral teachings as a Church is anchored in the Word of God and the Sacred Tradition handed down to us through the apostolic teaching. Of course, the sacred mysteries of our faith are carefully reflected upon and taught under the inspirational action of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides the Church through the Magisterium of the Church.
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-30
This biblical passage paints the most famous picture of the Christian unity of the Church ever written. Graphically, St. Paul presents an image of the human body to illustrate fundamental teaching on the Christian unity of the Church. He argues that the body is one, though made of many parts. So the Church forms many individuals into a living unity in Christ.
Therefore, St. Paul calls us to a Christian formation of faith, service and renewal through the division of labour and team spirit. The only way to bear Christian testimony of unity in diversities is through constant renewal. He illustrated his spiritual argument using the analogy of the human body with its members.
However, without the presence and action of the Holy Spirit and without the proper assimilation of the Word of God, Christian unity or renewal is not attainable. As such, the Holy Spirit enables the Word of God to be imbued in our hearts and transforms into a concrete manifestation of Gifts, Services, Activities and talents in our personal and communitarian life. Hence, for Paul, all are united in the Spirit, there is no room for petty jealousy, envy, division, competition or discrimination among Christians.
A HEALTHY BODY OF CHRIST
For Paul, there will be a Christian unity inside the Church. If only it fulfils its proper function as a living body of the Mystical Body of Christ. A body is healthy and efficient only when each part is functioning perfectly. The different parts of the human body are not jealous of each other and do not covet the functions of each other.
From the perspective of Paul, we see certain things which ought to exist in the Church, the body of Christ.
(i) We ought to realize that we need each other. There can be no such thing as isolation or individual in the Church. One of the tragedies of Christianity or the Church in modern times is individualism.
Far too often, people in the Church become so engrossed in the bit of the work. Such that, they are doing and so convinced of its supreme importance that they neglect or even criticize others who have chosen to do other work.
I did work in a Diocese in Mexico, precisely the Diocese of Ciudad Valles in San Luis Potosí, which has this slogan on the logo: juntos si, solo no. A Spanish phrase that literally means together yes, alone no. It is a way of overemphasizing the importance of teamwork and Christian unity in the Church.
(ii) We ought to respect each other. In the body, there is no question of relative importance. If any limb or organ ceases to function, the whole body is thrown out of equilibrium. It is so with the Church. “All service ranks the same with God.” Whenever we begin to think about our own importance in the Christian Church, the possibility of really Christian unity is gone.
(iii) We ought to sympathize or empathize with each other. If anyone part of the body is affected, all the others suffer in sympathy because they cannot help it. The Church is a whole.
WE ARE CHRIST TO THE WORLD TODAY
In a nutshell, Paul is telling us that the unity of the Church despite its diversities is paramount for Christian testimony in the world. The Church as the body of Christ is a metaphorical expression that means that we as its members become and do what Christ did and would do.
In other words, Christ is no longer in this world in the body. Therefore, if he wants a task done within the world, he finds a man who can do it.
If he wants a child taught, he has to find a teacher to teach him. If he wants a sick person cured, he looks for a doctor or healer to do his work. Likewise, if he wants his story told, he finds a man to communicate it.
Literally, we have to be the body of Christ, hands to do his work, feet to run upon his errands, a voice to speak for him.
Finally, the sense of us belonging to the body of Christ creates a deep feeling of supreme glory in every Christian. That is, we are part and parcel of Christ, merely human as we are. We are part of the body of Christ upon the earth.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES THROUGH THE BODY OF CHRIST AND NOT HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURES
At the end of the passage, Paul speaks of various forms of gifts, service and activities in the Church. First and foremost, he mentions the apostles and places them ahead of everything in the Church community. Why should that be?
The essential qualification of being an apostle was that he must have companied with Jesus during his earthly life and been a witness of the Resurrection (Ac.1:22). This makes them indispensable in the Church.
Later, besides the apostles, Paul added the prophets. Then he mentioned the workers of miracles, healers, teachers, helpers, administrators and speakers of various kinds of tongues. Thereby, he recognized the individuality of the Spirit gifts to each one of us. While strongly affirming that there is no individualism or communism of the spiritual gifts. In the view of Paul, all Christians are not apostles, prophets, teachers and so on. There is always division of works in the body of Christ, the Church.
Equally, Paul acknowledges that some parts of the body are never seen. Yet, whose functions are indispensable to others. In the same way, some serve the Church in ways that win no publicity, but without whose service the Church could not go on. Like those who dedicate the time and energy to keep the Church and its environment clean.
ASPIRATION FOR GREATER OR HIGHER GIFTS
In the end, Paul speaks of a great gift than all the others. In his view, all Christian sg¿hound aspire for this higher gift. It will help control the danger that those who have different Chrismas or talents will be at variance with each other. In other words, to avoid this tragedy of self-importance over others in the Christian communities. So that the effective working of the body of Christ will be hindered by petty envy, jealousies and rivalries. Paul invites and admonishes all Christians to aspire for the gifts of faith, hope and love. Unequivocally, he places love as the highest gift of the Holy Spirit to Christendom.
Love is the only thing that can bind the Church into a perfect unity. Hence, Paul went on in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 to sing the hymn to love.
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 1:1-4; 4:14-21
The first part of our gospel text begins with the personal testimony of Luke on the life, message and mission of Christ. Luke made us realize two things essential to present an orderly account of the Jesus Story.
It is most significant that Luke was not satisfied with the story of Christ from others accounts. He must have his own experience and rediscover Jesus Christ for himself.
.True religion is never a second-hand thing. It is a personal discovery. Therefore, the beauty of the four gospels is that they are accounts of the personal experience of their authors on the person of Christ.
No passage of the Bible sheds such a floodlight on the doctrine of the inspiration of scripture. In fact, no one would deny that the Gospel of Luke is not an inspired document of historical research.
Yet, Luke begins by affirming that it is the product of the most careful historical research. The inspiration or revelation of God does not come to the man who sits with folded hands and a lazy mind and only waits. Indeed, God always inspires the man who thinks, seeks and searches for Him.
True inspiration comes when the seeking mind of man joins with the revealing Spirit of God. The Word of God is given, but it is given to the man who is seeking it: Seek, and you shall find (Matt.7:7).
The second part of the Gospel of today situates us in the context of the beginning of the public ministry of Christ. In the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus cites the prophecy of Isaiah, where the Spirit of God through him will bring freedom to the poor and the oppressed.
Many biblical scholars view this passage as the Messianic manifesto of Jesus about his life, message and mission as the Christ. It was the beginning of his public ministry, according to the Gospel of Luke.
For Luke, this Messianic manifestos of Jesus confirm these actions of the Spirit of God in the individual and communal life of the Church. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Therefore, the mission of Jesus is indeed the mission of every Christian. It is to bring the Good news to the poor; to give liberation to captives; to grant healing to the sick and afflicted; to free the oppressed, and proclaim the year of favour and grace the Lord to all.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
What is your relationship with the Word of God? Are you attentive and responsive to it whenever it is proclaimed?
Do you have time to read, reflect and assimilate the Word of God personally?
Do you feel part of the Church: the Mystical Body of Christ? What is your role or function to the overall functioning of the body of Christ, the Church?
How are you part of or contributing to the mission of Christ to bring good news or favour of the Lord to the poor? Do you participate in the apostolic mission to proclaim freedom to the captives or the oppressed? As well as the recovery of sight to the blind?
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, many of us today have only a handed down religion which has not become a personal spirituality or faith, lived out incomplete and conviction. May your Spirit help us through the riches of your Word to listen, ruminate, absorb and live it, to nourish our spiritual lives. And may we manifest our gifts and talents through personal commitment to the Christ: in familial, communal, parochial, and ecclesial life. Amen.
