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Our second reading, where St. Paul calls to mind the various spiritual gifts united in the one spirit, made me think of my experience, growing up with siblings. I don’t know if it is the same for you, but as a little child, I recall viewing my siblings most often in terms of what they could do for me. As an adult that would be incredibly selfish but I think we tend to be more self-centered as children and hopefully grow out of it. So, I viewed one of my brothers as the one to go to when I need someone to try out my horrible ideas, a certain sister to approach when a persuasive voice was needed in dealing with mom or dad, and kept a running tally of which siblings you could count on to keep a secret and not snitch on you to the parents, even when the heat was turned up. Since that time, one of the great joys in my life has been the deepening of friendship with my siblings as each of us has matured, developed distinct spiritual and professional gifts, and grown into our own unique personality. I’ve seen the same dynamic St. Paul describes to the Corinthians as it has become a reality in our family in terms of richness and diversity but covered in unity.
In our family, the next child after me, Megan, has a gift for telling a great story and a tremendous work ethic, Greg has the quickest wit of anyone I know and a desire to learn always, Danny can talk to anyone and sell anything, Michelle follows her convictions without fear, Monica cares for everyone all the time without seeking any thanks, Maria is thoughtful and deliberate and never rushes into anything, Rebecca has this funny way of looking at the world and making people laugh and feel accepted, Margaret is fiercely loyal and is the one person you would want at your side going into battle, Lizzy is endlessly curious and intelligent, Stephen is truly patient and has suffered many things throughout his life without self pity or complaint, Sarah is innocently optimistic and never gives up no matter what the odds, and Faith is content with simple pleasures and comfortable in her own skin.
One of things I marvel at is the fact that we’ve all come from the same parents. Such variety, such a range of personalities and gifts, united by the same source. And while there is such a difference between us, each of our unique qualities can be a source of joy, strength, and growth to the whole family when we put them at the service of one another. When my family is at its best, that’s exactly what we do; when there is conflict, its often because we are withholding our gifts from each other and only using them for ourselves.
St. Paul was reminding the Corinthians that God created the human race and his holy church to be alive and bubbling with many different spiritual gifts. There is only one Holy Spirit but that spirit is so rich that his life will manifest itself in an unbelievable range of spiritual personalities and blessings. Whenever we try to mold every person into a single style or force everyone to adopt a set of preferred qualities, we risk stifling the work and creativity of the Holy Spirit. The same is true when we fail to develop our spiritual gifts or hesitate to share them with others, both here in the parish and out in the world. None of us have everything we need to thrive and flourish. In a maddening but wise way, God made us interdependent and connected; not independent and isolated. We enrich each other’s lives as we discover, then share, the gifts we have received from his Holy Spirit.
Sometimes it is easier to see the gifts of others rather than our own. In those moments, it is so important to turn to prayer and to our good friends for help in seeing what role we serve in God’s family. Each and every one of us has something to contribute; each and every one of us plays a unique part that no one else can fill. God is extravagantly generous and has given some manifestation of his Holy Spirit to every person. As long as we remain on the sidelines, our church, our families, our friends, and we ourselves are missing out.
One other thing we should acknowledge about the Holy Spirit and his gifts; they are extremely messy! What I mean is that the work of the Holy Spirit and the ways he leads and inspires are often in conflict with our desire for things and people to be predictable, controllable, and easily defined. This doesn’t mean that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are things like chaos, anarchy, or upheaval, but they do move beyond human wisdom and simple calculation. What brings unity to a family, to a parish, and to our entire Church is not that everyone thinks, acts, speaks, or looks exactly the same. What unites us is the fact that we are all children of the same heavenly father, our mother is the Church, and we have all received some share of the same Holy Spirit. That gift will enrich our lives but must also be shared freely for ourselves and others to reach our fullest potential.
If someone asked us today to list our spiritual gifts, how would we respond? Would we be able to answer at all? If yes, can we honestly say those gifts are being developed and shared? Or do they stay hidden and locked away out of fear or selfishness? If we do not yet know our spiritual gifts, are we spending time in prayer asking for understanding and illumination? Do we have a friend who knows us well and can help identify the role and life of the Holy Spirit they see at work within us?
Incarnate Word has been blessed by the generous sharing of so many spiritual gifts over the years. In my time here, I have been amazed at what I’ve seen and the many ways the Holy Spirit already works in so many of you. But there is potential for so much more. Come Holy Spirit, bring your gifts to life in each and every one us! Amen.
