What Unites Us is Greater Than What Pulls Us Apart.

Tuesday 13th September 2022. Read Exodus 1 Cor. 12:12-14,27-31, Ps. 100, Luke 7:11-17 

“The 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.” (1 Corinthians 12:21)

A young man had died, he was the only son of his mother and she was a widow. Jesus did not demand any expression of Faith from the woman. The look on her face was all Jesus needed to see before knowing exactly what to do. Sometimes, merely looking at the face of God is prayer! Luke 7:13 reads: “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”

What is quite striking about this encounter is that Jesus spoke to the dead man as one would speak to someone who is fully awake. Jesus did not raise his voice as he did in the case of Lazarus. Jesus did not bother to drive away those who were already mourning and wailing, those who lacked faith, as He did in the case of Jairus’ daughter to whom he said: “Talitha Cumi.”

The one important lesson we must learn from this encounter is that we are more connected than we think. How was the dead man able to hear and understand the command of Jesus? Simply because the dead like the rest of us alive are connected to and indeed, part of the one Body of Christ. This is exactly the point St. Paul wants us to understand in today’s first reading: “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

If death is not strong enough to pull a person away from listening to Christ, then why do we often assume we are separate from one another? Why should there be fights, divisions, and quarrels among us? Just as the body is made up of different parts so also is the body of Christ in whom we live, move, and exist. Some of us are eyes, some are noses, some are ears; some are tongues, and so on. We cannot all be eyes, and neither can we all be gifted as ears. We are not all Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Musicians, etc. St. Paul says we cannot all work miracles, nor do we all have the gift of speaking or interpreting tongues.

Knowing that we are one should teach us to encourage the gifts and talents of others rather than engage in PHDs. (Pull-Him-Down strategies). Notice that the ear is never jealous of the nose because of its ability to smell neither do we see the eye trying to learn how to chew food because sweet food passes through the mouth.

When we quarrel with each other, there is a tendency for us to assume we can just be on our own, that we can survive without this person or that person. The truth is that what unites us is greater than what pulls us apart. The person you refuse to help today may be your last resort tomorrow. Not even death can separate us from each other. This world is a small place; smaller than we think. We are all one body! 

Let us pray: Almighty ever-living God, increase my faith and teach me to love and accommodate others. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop, Doctor. Bible Study: 1 Cor. 12:12-14,27-31, Ps. 100, Luke 7:11-17).

© Rev. Fr. Evaristus Abu