RBWords

     St. Paul's powerful preaching to the Corinthians is aimed at the divisions that have sprung up in their midst largely due to "rival" preachers.  Some of these preachers were skilled public speakers and debaters and attracted personal followings.  Paul calls attention to the message and rejects the cult of personality represented by any preacher, even himself!  What is important is the message of "Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

     These words were written about 25 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and yet they are contemporary in their power.  Christianity remains divided.  It was divided before the Reformation due to the break between the Latin church of the West from what would come to be known as the Orthodox church of the East (1054 AD).  It became even more divided by the Reformation and the process of division still seems to occur.  There are times when it is difficult to distinguish between "diversity" and "division," and between "communion" and "dissent."  The Corinthians lived in a port city where there were all kinds of pagan cults.  The temptation to "mix and match" which so characterizes the spirit of our own age would have been just as strong then!  Belief seemed to be shaped by appetite and conduct rather than by truth.  How familiar it all seems!

     The effort to bring about some unity among Christians may resemble the popular expression about "herding cats," but we have to continue to try.  The divisions obscure the message and arguments about who was first or is more authentic or faithful to the gospel have the effect of marginalizing the gospel as the world looks on with puzzled eyes and goes its merry way like the Corinthians of old!  Where is St. Paul when we need him?  AMEN