One Body, Many Parts.*
Now the body is not a single part, but many. If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
.Application to Christ.*
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles;* second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing…Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST
Unity and Variety.
…* There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;c there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy…But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
REFLECTION
Consider your body and all its parts. What kind of God must we have that has given us all we need to sojourn here on earth.
Christ is one mystical body too, made up of many members with specific gifts of the spirit to enhance and spread the gift of Christ. What is/are my gifts?