"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (I Corinthians 12:27)People never cease to surprise me, and, honestly, that's one of the fun things in life.
I was waiting in a slow line at the pharmacy today when a member of our parish began conversing with me. Eventually the conversation turned to the tattoo that she had gotten for her 80th birthday. If someone had told me earlier in the day that I'd be viewing a green shamrock tattooed on this 86 year old's ankle, I would have found it hard to believe!
Then there was the time I found out the soft spoken, unassuming auto mechanic who hands out bulletins every Saturday night at Mass is a Medieval sword fighter. How wrong I was in thinking that his life revolved around tires, brakes and changing oil!
I will never again judge anyone based on who they appear to be, and I look forward to the next surprising discovery! However...
...my favorite stories are those that tell of the work of God in someone's life. There is nothing better than seeing the intimate flow of relationship between Creator and creation. Like Michaelangelo, God sees the finished sculpture in the block of marble before it's begun. If we let Him, He lovingly guides the chisel to create His masterpiece in us.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul tells us that we are all part of the body of Christ, though functioning in different roles. Each role is necessary, and none should be considered better than the other. Some of us wear shamrocks, some wield swords, some collect stories. But each one of us is used for the greater glory of Christ.
We are quite a family!
2 comments:
You are such a poetic writer; and I love the way you wove this one together. Odd mixture; but all ... 'the Body of Christ'. We never know what tomorrow will bring and those of us that trust in Jesus ... are never surprised by the 'bad' stuff as much as the 'good' stuff. I know ... HE ... has a reason for all things; even bug (yucks) and the horrible things that happen to babies and children. But out of each evil ... comes some good. And when you saw that shamrock tatto, if it had been on a much younger female ... well, that would not have been 'bad' either.
Life is so interesting when you love your neighbor through the EYE of the Almighty Trinity.
DIEU TE BENISSE!!!
Thank you for your kind words, Macile. I love your last line: "Life is so interesting when you love your neighbor through the eye of the Almighty Trinity." Well put. Amen!
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