Preparing for Lent

I record a brief reflection from an ongoing exegesis of I Corinthians 12:24b-31, which helps take me into the Lenten Season.

In todays dominate culture the body of Christ needs to take stock of the impact of inherent societal scripting both individually and corporately. E.g., the systems of accumulation* in our Western and now growing global economies naturally generate anxiety (from the illusion of need promoted via corporate advertisement to the fear of economic collapse) leading to various vices, which if not exposed and changed (metanoia) result in patterns of oppression that find their way in church communities. St. Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthian church calls us to step back and practice radical awareness and engagement of gifts (cari,smata) which allow us to cultivate a capacity to suffer and rejoice (sympathize) with the other. Through practices that connect and care (merimna,w, 1Cor 12: 25) for the members who lack, we help promote the reversal of symptoms and causes of anxiety in the community via “the more excellent way.”

* See 'Notes on Walter Brueggemann and “The Food Fight: Accumulation and Abundance"'