For the next month and a half, our Sunday lectionary will make its way through the first three chapters of St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians.
Corinth was not only a large city but also quite wealthy. Along with this wealth came immorality, especially sexual immorality. There was a stereotype at the time in which someone become “Corinthianized” or “lived like a Corinthian.” In some sense, it was the “sin city” of its day.
Along with cultural problems, the Church in Corinth faced major theological problems. In short, the Church was a mess. Here are just a few of the many problems Paul mentions in his letter:
- There were divisions in the Church; some were saying, “I follow Paul,” while others were saying, “I follow Apollos;”
- Christians were taking their fellow Christians to secular courts;
- Sexual immorality was tolerated in the name of gospel freedom;
- There were abuses at the Lord’s table in that some were getting drunk and others were left hungry;
- Some devalued marriage given they believed that the Lord would return soon;
- Some denied that there was even a resurrection.
Poor Paul! Put yourself in his shoes for a moment. Imagine you were called to care for this broken community. We have to hand it to Paul that he did not run for the hills.
Paul begins his letter by saying, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God …” Right away, he asserts that God has called him to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. In other words, he is letting them know that he has been given the authority to watch over them. As their father, not only must he encourage them, but he must correct errors that tear at the Church’s unity.
Additionally, Paul stresses the importance of unity by addressing his letter to the “church of God that is in Corinth.” Notice that he does not say “churches in Corinth” but rather the “church of God.” There are not multiple churches in Corinth, but rather a singular Church. Paul, then, wants them to move beyond their interests to build up the one Church. And notice that it is not just any Church, but the Church of God. The Church belongs to God, of which Paul is a minister. In short, the phrase “my church” is completely foreign to Paul’s vocabulary.
Finally, Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy.” In other words, by virtue of their baptism, they are consecrated or set apart for the Lord. All of Paul’s ethical exhortations, which follow later in the letter, flow from this critical truth. By virtue of their baptism, the Corinthians are set apart and therefore, called to be holy. In some sense, Paul is saying, “Corinthians, remember your dignity. Become what you are. Live in accordance with your baptism.”
While our second reading is quite short, there is much we can learn from it. There is something quite comforting about knowing that we are not the only ones who live in challenging times! Like the Corinthians, the Church today experiences division among parishioners and even whole parishes.
In this light, ask yourself, “How am I a person of communion, i.e., a person who builds relationships?” “Where can I build bridges?” “Even if I may be right on a certain point, how can I be charitable?” As a Christian, find ways to look beyond your interests (self-sacrifice) to help build up the Lord’s Church. In doing so, our Lord will greatly reward you!
Father Andrie is pastor of St. Therese in Deephaven. He can be reached at fr.andrie@st-therese.org.
Sunday, Jan. 15
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
