Commentary on the Gospel of
In the second part of today's reading from Paul's letter to the Ephesians (4:11-13) Paul is almost prophesying as he speaks of the Mystical Body and of the many ways that we can belong to it as believers in an active and healthy manner. He names quite specifically “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in roles of service for the faithful,” but that was then, when the Church was just finding itself rather than simply following the forms of Jewish code, creed, and cult. Given the different world that we live in, we might add to Paul's list catechists and missionaries, liturgists and choir members, deacons, foster parents, theologians and religious authors, members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society or volunteers at a homeless shelter. Or even maybe something as rare as hermits.
In the last sentences of today's selection from Paul (4:14-16) he moves directly into speaking of how we must be mature and must profess the truth, by which Paul seems to mean each of us finding our particular role in the Church and living it generously, seriously, and joyfully, not just attending Mass out of habit or because we need to maintain our image in our family or our community.
Our searching for that personal role in the Church implies first, of course, that we go to prayer regularly and are seeking a familiarity with the Spirit. Only then can we presume to do a serious discernment of the way that the Trinity calls us to live our faith and to be true, living, and healthy members of Christ's Mystical Body.
