The Passion of Saint John the Baptist (Memorial)

He will keep you firm to the end. 

The Corinthian church had its problems. Yes, they had decided to follow Jesus, and yes, they were gathering regularly for worship and fellowship. But they were a diverse group: Gentile and Jew, rich and poor, slave and freeman. And not surprisingly, they began to let divisions and rivalries form (1 Corinthians 1:10-16). One of the reasons St. Paul wrote this letter was to encourage them to overcome these divisions and come together in unity with Christ.

Paul begins his letter by thanking God for bringing them to faith in Jesus. It is Christ who has given them all the gifts they need and who “will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8). These new Christians would need to persevere in their faith—especially when it came to strengthening their unity.

We can certainly identify with the Corinthians. In our families, our parishes, and in the Church at large, we want to get along and settle our differences peacefully and amicably. We know that we are united in Christ through Baptism, but we still find it difficult to actually live in unity. We all come to the table with different experiences, outlooks, and assumptions. We are all created with different gifts and temperaments. And most challenging of all, as fallen human beings, we all have blind spots, make mistakes, and fall to temptation.

Paul knew this, and his advice to the Corinthians is as relevant to us as it was to them. As we read from this letter at Mass over the next three weeks, we can listen closely to his instructions to these early Christians and take them to heart.

So what might Paul tell you today? When differences arise between you and other believers, don’t be surprised or despair. Keep asking for the grace to be patient, and try to work out your differences. Pray for your fellow Christians who don’t think as you do or who may even oppose or malign you. And when you find yourself tempted to give up, stay focused on the Lord and persevere. He will “keep you firm to the end”!

“Father, I trust that you can help me work out my differences with my brothers and sisters in Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Psalm 145:2-7
Mark 6:17-29