Word to the Wise
Saturday, September 7, 2024 - Saturday in the 22th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Cor 4:6b-15 and Luke 6:1-5]What do you possess that you have not received? [1 Corinthians]
In our American culture, there is a widespread admiration for anyone who is "self-made." The problem is not new. St. Paul warns his Corinthian community about getting proud of themselves as if they created their material or spiritual blessings. It can be an interesting examination of conscience to go through our personal history and ask what we have accomplished without any help from anyone.
In some spiritual currents there can be the attitude that God has predetermined everything and we have no choices, so there cannot be such a thing as a self-made person. Some may see if as a matter of "luck," or our DNA! Others may think of God as a kind of "raw materials provider" who may intervene on rare occasion in the process of learning what to do with the materials that God has given us. Still others think God has nothing to do with it at all and a "self-made" person is a possibility for anyone who has the gumption to make the effort.
St. Paul's approach is closer to the "raw materials" one, seeing the Holy Spirit as giver and animator in the believer, but leaving the believer to put the "gifts" to work for the benefit of the community, [cf. 1 Cor. 12]. Catholic tradition speaks of the "seven gifts of the Holy Spirit" that are received in Baptism/Confirmaiton. Strangely, we don't add the greatest of the gifts: LOVE! At a baptism. I urge parents and godparents and everyone present to teach the child how to give and receive the gift of love. We cannot create love. The Corinthians thought they could create all the blessings they had. We may get in that rut as well - PRIDE! But we have to receive love before we can give it. St. Paul's question is our question too. AMEN