By Steve Raml, Director of Liturgy & Music
Many Parts – One Body
In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that the body is made up of many parts, each serving a unique function:
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. (1 Cor 12: 14-20)
St. Paul makes it clear that he is speaking about the Church and goes on to note the many ministries play in the life of the early Church.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? (1 Cor 12: 28-29)
Not Everyone Does Everything
We can extend this analogy to the work we do in the local church. To paraphrase St. Paul:
“Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, Presiders, second Lectors, third Religious Ed teachers, then Ministers of the Eucharist, Hospitality, Servers, Musicians.
Are all Presiders? Are all Lectors? Are all teachers? Do all do the mighty deeds needed for each Mass?”
We Need Everyone
Continuing his body analogy, as St. Paul writes:
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” (1 Cor 12: 21)All the parts of the body, and all the various ministries, rely on each other. Together, they create the communal prayer of the community which we call “The Mass.” They are all important, as St Paul’s next line tells us:
Indeed, the parts of the body that are weaker are all the more necessary. (1 Cor 12: 22)
I always find that small line encouraging, because it reminds me that no matter what I bring to the Mass, even a small thing, is “all the more necessary.”
Is there something you can bring to our communal prayer? Perhaps you could fill one of those ministerial roles of Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Usher, or Choir Member. We always need more EMs to offer the Body and Blood of Christ, and we need more Hospitality ministers to welcome our growing community. With the coming summer months, this need becomes more acute, as we lose so many of our winter ministers.
A Way of Being
So please consider joining one of these ministries. But please don’t think of ministry in terms of the tasks performed at each Mass. Ministry goes much deeper than that. It is not a way of doing; it is a way of being.
One of the best definitions of ministry I’ve found comes from Fr. William Bauman:
“Ministry is service rendered out of love, and with a deep respect for the person served, after the model of Jesus. Ministry is never self-seeking; ministry is giving, and it is the kind of giving in which one loves the persons one gives to.
To bring joy, to bring relief from pain and sorrow, to end anxiety and fear, to share what enriches – this is ministry.
Ministry is not an attempt to make someone over in some preconceived pattern. It uncritically respects the individuality, taste, and life choices of the person served, freeing them to create themselves anew. It urges, inspires, shares, supports; it never forces.”
While the above paragraph is found in the book “The Ministry of Music,” Fr. Bauman’s definition fits every type of ministry, both Liturgical and those non-liturgical ministries of taking Communion to the homebound or serving the poor through St. Vincent de Paul. His words continue to remind me of who I am and who I want to become.
I invite you to contact me for more information about any of our Liturgical Ministries and see the many contact numbers in our bulletin each week to offer your service to the other outreach ministries.
God is calling you to offer yourself. Be open to that call –find out how God is calling you to serve this community.
