November 7

Holy Church is the body of Christ: one Spirit vivifies it, unites it through faith, and sanctifies it. The members of this body are individual believers, who all form one body because they have one Spirit and one faith. In the human body each member has its own distinctive function, but it is not exercised for itself alone. Likewise in the body of holy Church, the gifts of grace are distributed, but even if some gift is given to only one member, it is not for that member's exclusive use. Only the eyes see, yet they do not see for themselves alone but for the whole body. Only the ears hear, yet they do not hear for themselves alone but for the whole body. Only the feet walk, yet they do not walk for themselves alone but for the whole body. So it is that any gift possessed by only one person is not merely for that person's own use; for he who gives his gifts so generously and distributes them so wisely desires each of them to be for all, and all for each.

From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.

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