Reflection for week of December 1

 

The Body of Christ

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

—Ephesians 4:11–16

When I was in high school, Harry Chapin had a huge hit with the song, “Cat’s in the Cradle.” It tells the story of a father who doesn’t grow up in time to give his son the attention he needs. Indifference to his family is the legacy he passes on to his son. I remember praying before I was married, before I had a son of my own, Lord please help me to grow up and be there for my child. Don’t let me squander the time I’ve been given.

In this passage, Paul is exhorting us to grow up, become adults, and be grounded in Christ: “we must no longer be children, tossed to and fro.” Each of us is given certain “gifts” and with these gifts we each contribute to the building of the authentic church on earth—the body of Christ. Doing this requires a certain maturity: “we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” For Paul, this is not a mysterious task. It’s part of the natural course of life as we grow as Christians. We need to have hope in God and a willingness to step up and take our part in building the kingdom.

We’re all called to grow in maturity through the Holy Spirit. Ask yourself: Am I growing up in my faith? Am I saying yes to God as an adult? Am I taking responsibility for using the “gifts” I’ve been given by God?

 

From A Still More Excellent Way: How St. Paul Points Us to Jesus, by Joseph Durepos

 

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