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Pauline
Reflections 05 - 23rd August 2008
CRISIS OF
DIVISION: 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-17
1 Corinthians is very relevant for
today’s Church. It addresses the reality of human
nature, characterised by division, struggles and
rivalries, sectionalism, tensions in personal
relationships and cliques. The Christians of Corinth
faced these perversities and Paul deals with these
difficulties by communicating the triumph of Jesus
Christ in his crucifixion, resurrection and
glorification.
Paul’s language is very important in
crisis resolution, he did not command or boss them with
his apostolic authority, instead he urged/exhorted them
in fraternity (v. 10). An exhortation is an appeal to
make a willing choice. This is meant to lead them to
understand the truth in the midst of their trials and
temptations. Paul recognised that the problem was partly
with the ego and he repeated the “I” by way of emphasis
several times: “I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos,
or I belong to Cephas or I belong to Christ” (v.12).
There is a sense of shock in the
series of questions and rebukes of Paul. He is not a
party to any of these. And he tells them to remember who
was crucified for them, and in whose name they were
baptised. Was it Paul? he asked sarcastically in
v. 13? They must return therefore to the centrality of
Christ and be united.
Christians must continue to find
strength and encouragement in these words of Paul to
work together as a people of love, faith and hope in the
Lord who is Father of us all. We should always seek for
unity in our diversity, and unity here is not
uniformity. In the same way, this text is a guide for
Catholics. Sometimes the tendency of division and
cliques confronts us, we should always remember that our
baptism unites us and baptismal waters becomes similar
to blood ties, hence we call each other brothers and
sisters in Christ. This is a very dear intention in the
heart of Jesus, as he prayed repeatedly in his priestly
prayer “Father that they may be one” (John 17).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, bind us together with
cords that cannot be broken, remove every trait of
division, rivalry and envy from among your people who
profess faith in you. Amen
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