In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body (1 Cor 12:13).
A month ago we lost a beloved member of our community. Her name was Desi, and we all miss her deeply. As one body, we remain united with Desi. Now she lives in the heavenly Kingdom among the saints in glory. We continue to pray for her, and she prays for us. This is the gift of the communion of saints to which we belong.
We believe that our beloved sister Desi is with Christ, for Christ lived in her body when she walked among us on earth. The same was true of the Holy Spirit dwelling within her. For "in one Spirit we were all baptized" as Christians. It does not matter that we have different languages and colors of skin. What matters is that we have all been made to drink of one Holy Spirit. We have various gifts and ministries in our community: one of us edits our blog, another helps organize the schedule, another prepares our podcasts, and some write reflections.
We are all needed to preach the Good News in the world. You cannot say that you are not needed in the community of the Church. You can always engage more fully to share the Gospel with your brothers and sisters. Your reflection encourages others to grow in Christian faith and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. Your personal story helps many others live their lives. Through your eyes, we can see much more. Through your ears, we can hear much more.
Our heavenly Father arranged our Bible Sharing Group and sent the Holy Spirit to gather us together. I could not do this work alone as a single member. Therefore, I am thankful for every person in our group. I especially pray for our sister Desi, who was present at the beginning of our spiritual community where "there are many parts, yet one body" (v. 20). Amen.
Reflection on 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 by Józef Trzebuniak SVD.
(Listen to podcast here)
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