The word of the day is “division.” Our world seems hopelessly divided. Many delight in disagreement and profit from polarization. Even the church is divided. Ecclesial denominations maintain and promote the distinctions between Christians. In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 11:8-22, St. Paul gets to the rotten core of the problems in the congregation at Corinth. The members of the church are divided in mind, behavior, and worship. Their separation from each other is most apparent at the time when they ought to be united. They are separated from each other when they ought to be sharing together in the one Heavenly Bread and one Cup of the Body and Blood of Christ. In response to reports of the divisions Paul expresses his…

The word of the day is “division.”  Our world seems hopelessly divided.  Many delight in division and profit from polarization.  Even the church is divided.  Ecclesial denominations maintain and promote the distinctions between Christians. In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 11:8-22, St. Paul gets to the rotten core of the problems in the congregation at Corinth.  The members of the church are divided in mind, behavior, and worship. Their separation from each other is most apparent at the time when they ought to be united. They are separated from each other when they ought to be sharing together in the one Heavenly Bread and one Cup of the Body and Blood of Christ.  In response to reports of the divisions Paul expresses…