Morning Devotion for Lent
April 1, 2022
The Invitatory
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Come let us adore him
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Reading: I Corinthians 12:27-13:3
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Meditation: Jo Ann B. Jones
In City of God Augustine identifies the lust for domination as the driving impulse of the fallen man and his society. This lust for domination, as it drives life—or more accurately from Augustine’s view, destroys it—is motivated by service to the self and desire to control everything: what is good; what is “fact” or “true”; others’ behavior; who receives praise, and so forth. This lust for domination runs counter to the ethic of service of others or love of others. It is a lust for the self. As a result a person is stripped of a relationship with God and relational harmony with others. There is no truth except in living by one’s own standards.
Paul addresses a similar concern to the members of the church in Corinth. He is examining the matter of spiritual gifts themselves in the context of this community. “Now you [plural] are the body of Christ.” The Greek pronoun here is an emphatic one that draws attention to the collective identity of the congregation, endowed with a wide variety of spiritual gifts.
While Paul had previously shied away from ranking the importance of the spiritual gifts, he appears to offer a preliminary ranking of the gifts in order of importance. Notably, gifts related to speaking in tongues are last. In other words, the very gift that the Corinthians seem to prize the most, Paul ranks as the least important among other gifts.
Nonetheless, Paul reasons carefully. This ranked list should not undermine the foundation of his argument: all gifts are necessary. Underscoring this, he poses a series of questions to force his audience to recognize the truth of his position. While most English translations do not capture it, Paul’s Greek grammar here provides the answer that he expects his audience to give. That is, rather than simply being translated “Are all apostles?” Paul’s language might be better translated as “Not all are apostles, are they?” Paul moves his audience closer to accepting his position. We often confuse unity with uniformity, because it is much easier to gather with people who are like ourselves than it is to reach across the divisions which mark our culture.
Paul insists on something richer. Since the church is intended to be a foretaste of the final reconciliation of all things that God promises, Paul calls the church to start acting that way. Thus diversity within the church is not a problem to be avoided, solved, or managed, but a gift of God’s grace and a sign of the Spirit at work. The Spirit’s varied gifts form us in such a manner that we do, and, indeed, must belong to one another. Continuing with the opening verses of Chapter 13, he demonstrates how the power and ameliorating force of love may overcome these differences, forging the diverse community into an expression of unity in a new identity founded on each person reconciled to each other by God’s love. The NRV’s language is particularly compelling here. “But earnestly desire the higher gifts.” This sets us in God’s presence, with hearts and minds set to receiving those gifts.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
