Tuesday 6 September 2022

Today is Tuesday the 6th of September, in the 23rd week of Ordinary Time.


The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing Ecce quam bonum:
“How good and how pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity!
It is like precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.”

(Lyrics currently unavailable)

Today’s reading is from St Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels—to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to decide between one believer and another, but a believer goes to court against a believer—and before unbelievers at that?

In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—and believers at that.

Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

St Paul’s words are addressed to a community marred by conflict. He is reminding the Christians of Corinth that there are values over and above those of the society they live in. Hearing St Paul's words today, I can ask myself what perspective usually influences the way in which I judge and act. Am I controlled by the values that are common in the society around me because they represent the path of least resistance? Or, on the other hand, are the values I try to live by rooted in the example given by Jesus Christ?

St Paul invites those listening to his words to consider that having lawsuits at all is a defeat. If this is so, is a resort to violence, to war an even greater defeat? How can I, in contrast, encourage attitudes of understanding and peace among my friends and family and at work?

While listening to the scripture again, you may want to reflect on what is the opposite of the lawyers and judges and litigation that Paul describes? What is the alternative, the better way of settling disputes?

Ask God now, in the way most natural to you, to help you today to do good, to seek and strive after peace.


Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.