In a particularly memorable seminary class, my professor once posed the question: if the church is the body of Christ, what part of the body would you be? Of course, he was referring to the famous passage from 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. As we went around the room, some of my classmates identified as the hands, reaching out to the world in care, or the feet, being sent. Others were the lips, proclaiming the good news of God’s love.
Can I tell you something? Today, I feel like the broken pinky finger of Christ. Okay, maybe it’s not canonical, but I can imagine that in 33 years of living and traveling, Jesus may have fallen off a donkey a time or two.
I remember at communion, Pastor Aart used to say: “We are Christ’s body, we are wounded. May the love of God heal us in all the right places.” He described communion as “a meal made from our brokenness”.
Usually, when we talk about the church as the body of Christ, we think of the different gifts and talents God has given us. All these gifts work together. All of us is needed, and we recognize the inherent worth of each person. But what if we think of the body of Christ in terms of weaknesses, too?
We are Christ’s body, we are wounded.
Communion liturgy
In the 90s, a queer theology emerged which made the compelling claim that “The Body of Christ has AIDS”. Lately, I have heard similar statements made about COVID-19. The Spirit of Christ is in all of us. When one is wounded, we all are.
On Monday, I went for an ordinary hike in beautiful weather. I was enjoying the peaceful sounds of nature and exploring the rolling hills of Vacaville when a misstep sent me tumbling down a steep part of the path. It happened suddenly. My legs were covered in scrapes, cuts, and bruises, and I had an unimaginable pain in my right hand. Later that day, I would go to urgent care and be informed that I had sustained two fractures in my hand.
Our bodies are so very fragile. In a moment, we can lose what we took for granted. If Christ’s body has a broken pinky finger, I know that’s me a lot of the time. Feeling pained, stuck in place, healing through the companionship of my ring finger friends.
Fortunately, when I am weak, the body of Christ is strong. God is at work, in us and through us, to heal us in all the right ways.
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Last Updated: April 30, 2020 by Veronica Gould
Apr 29, 2020: Broken Pinky Fingers
In a particularly memorable seminary class, my professor once posed the question: if the church is the body of Christ, what part of the body would you be? Of course, he was referring to the famous passage from 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. As we went around the room, some of my classmates identified as the hands, reaching out to the world in care, or the feet, being sent. Others were the lips, proclaiming the good news of God’s love.
Can I tell you something? Today, I feel like the broken pinky finger of Christ. Okay, maybe it’s not canonical, but I can imagine that in 33 years of living and traveling, Jesus may have fallen off a donkey a time or two.
I remember at communion, Pastor Aart used to say: “We are Christ’s body, we are wounded. May the love of God heal us in all the right places.” He described communion as “a meal made from our brokenness”.
Usually, when we talk about the church as the body of Christ, we think of the different gifts and talents God has given us. All these gifts work together. All of us is needed, and we recognize the inherent worth of each person. But what if we think of the body of Christ in terms of weaknesses, too?
In the 90s, a queer theology emerged which made the compelling claim that “The Body of Christ has AIDS”. Lately, I have heard similar statements made about COVID-19. The Spirit of Christ is in all of us. When one is wounded, we all are.
On Monday, I went for an ordinary hike in beautiful weather. I was enjoying the peaceful sounds of nature and exploring the rolling hills of Vacaville when a misstep sent me tumbling down a steep part of the path. It happened suddenly. My legs were covered in scrapes, cuts, and bruises, and I had an unimaginable pain in my right hand. Later that day, I would go to urgent care and be informed that I had sustained two fractures in my hand.
Our bodies are so very fragile. In a moment, we can lose what we took for granted. If Christ’s body has a broken pinky finger, I know that’s me a lot of the time. Feeling pained, stuck in place, healing through the companionship of my ring finger friends.
Fortunately, when I am weak, the body of Christ is strong. God is at work, in us and through us, to heal us in all the right ways.
Praise be to God!
Veronica
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Category: Devotionals Tags: AIDS, body, body of christ, broken, christ, covid-19, finger, heal, hurt, pinky
Worship
Sundays 10:00 – 11:00 am
In Person: mask optional. Click here for info.
Via Zoom: click here to join online.
Prayer Requests
What is your prayer need? Being specific will help us focus our prayers.
Support Parkview
Thank your for your generosity in helping us to serve God and others. Use the “Notes” section to make any special requests or to provide extra information. You have the option of using a credit card or bank transfer.
Location/Office Hours
727 T Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Church Office Hours: by appointment until further notice. Email officemanager@parkviewpc.org or call 916.443.4464 and leave a message.
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