These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one.I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Cor 3:1-9)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090424.cfm
Planting and watering are beautiful descriptions of ministry in the church. We all build on the labors of those who have gone before us. But as Paul reminds us, it is “only God, who causes the growth.”
Now the natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:10b-16)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090324.cfm
To say “we have the mind of Christ” is not a boast. It is simply what it means to be in Christ. Our baptism calls us to put on the mind and heart of Christ. Saint Gregory (540-604) did not want to be called “great.” Gregory only wanted to be known as the “Servant of the Servants of God.”
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. (1 Cor 2:1-5)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090224.cfm
We like to think that Saint Paul was a great preacher, and he was. But according to his own words, he was not a great orator. Nevertheless, when Paul spoke, people listened and paid attention, even old Saint Peter!
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090124.cfm
The Letter of James is full of very practical wisdom for the life of faith. Be doers of the word and not hearers only . . . pure religion is to care for orphans and widows. In following Christ, “Keep it simple” is probably the best advice ever. As Jesus says, “Love God, love neighbor.”
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something. (1 Cor 1:26-31)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083124.cfm
As Paul talks about the makeup of the community, he’s really having fun. The primitive church was largely made up of slaves. So when Paul says, “not many were of noble birth,” there must have been a few laughs throughout the congregation. The Virgin Mary’s hymn of praise sings the glory of God who lifts up the lowly and those who count for nothing in this world. And as Mary sings, “Holy . . . holy . . . holy is his name!”
