Thoughts for the Day

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Paul's wonderful description of the body of Christ, comparing it to our body, is a gift to those who enjoy using drama to explore our faith. My favourite activity, to show the need for all Christians to work together, using their unique gifts, is to allocate different parts of a body to different people. The group should sit in a circle, each with a post-it note saying their body-part (eg arms, ears, feet, eyes, mouth, legs, hands, nose, etc). Tell a story, eg "A man was walking through a wood, when he saw something on the ground. He bent to pick it up, and called to his friend ......" Add more to the story until all body parts are involved. Using a large ball of wall, give the end (to be held) and the ball of wool (to be thrown) to one person. Read the story slowly. As the first body part is identified (legs or feet), the ball of wall is thrown to them. They catch the ball of wool, hold on to to the wool, and throw the ball of wool to the next body part. Each person ends up holding the wool, and throwing the ball of wool to the next body part mentioned. You end up with a mass of criss-crossing wool, which quickly shows you the parts of the body we use the most. The activity can get fairly frenetic, but can lead to interesting discussions about the church body and how to involve children, the disabled, and the sick in the life of the Church.

The Christian is called to a personal relationship with God, but we are also called into a relationship with one another in the Christian community. We do not stand alone as Christians and neither can we live the Christian life outside the community of faith. Paul says "All the members of the body, though many, are one body". If we were called just to have faith then we could all live as hermits communing with God. However, God wants us to work out our faith in practical ways with those around us. He gives us different talents so that we may use them for the good of the people of God. But we need to give (throw the ball) as well as receive (catch the ball)*.

The Church needs every member to be involved in its worship and its work for when one person is absent or omitted, then the life of the Church is diminished.

* Taken from 'Reach Out' by Sharon Swain and Biddi Kings.

Lord Jesus Christ,
we ask You to bring us closer to You
so that in common love and obedience to Your will
we may be united together in the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit.
Grant that through the community of Your Church
the whole world may know You are Lord of all,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.