In last Sunday’s gospel lectionary passage, Mt 16:13-20, we read about Peter receiving the “keys to the kingdom”: Jesus tells Peter he is building his church on him and what Peter binds on earth will be bound in heaven, etc. Traditionally, this story is interpreted as the time Jesus instituted the authority of the church or the beginning of the line of apostles that gave popes and priests authority—starting with Peter on down to today.
But most scholars believe this passage actually reflects a time long after Jesus and even Peter had died—a time when the church was starting to formalize. During Jesus’ life and ministry, there was no such thing as a formal church. Not even close. For years, followers of Jesus got together informally, in houses over a shared meal.
So I appreciate that this gospel passage is combined in the lectionary with our reading from Romans 12:1-8. Because Romans 12 is a great counter-balance to the Peter story, the “keys to the kingdom” story. Romans 12:1-8 is a reminder that we are all part of one body and that all parts are absolutely equally important and necessary. Not just popes and clergy are critically important to the functioning of the universal church or the local church community; just as important are those who have the gift of generosity, or the gift of encouragement.
Imagine that: it is important for some to have advanced education and clergy abilities. But it is just as important for some to be gifted in knowing when others are hurt so they can offer comfort.
We All Have Gifts the World Needs
We also need everyday prophets—in other words, people able to discern what’s going on and to speak the uncomfortable truth about it. We need people of strong faith who remind us of God’s steadiness and reliability, especially at times when things look hopeless. We need people who are quick to nourish others with a kind word, to encourage people, and especially to see when someone needs to be lifted up. We need people who practice generosity, which can mean recognizing what people need. Sometimes this may be small, like a comfortable place to rest, or a meal at a time when they feel overwhelmed; even a treat—like a piece of cake—so they know someone cares for them.
We need people graced with the gift of cheerfulness, who lift the spirits of those around them by smiling and greeting people, or making jokes to help others smile. We need people who add leadership in meetings because they like to organize and to speak publicly. We need people who offer compassion, coming alongside those who are hurting, to help them feel less alone or to offer a listening ear. Someone who reaches out with a note when they know a neighbor is going through a hard time. In our Romans passage, Paul alludes to all such gifts.
What this means is that every one of these gifts is as important as the gifts of a Peter or a pope, or of a clergy person. We need all of these gifts, and without their flourishing, no clergy person—no bishop or priest or deacon or pastor—can be successful in a community. A community of faith is like an ecosystem where every organism counts.
We may not realize what our gifts mean in the larger scheme. Yet something as simple as a smile or kind word can be profound for someone hungering to feel seen and acknowledged.
Paul writes about our being “a living sacrifice.” We might recognize our lives are not only for ourselves. We are given gifts in order to use them for other people; gifts are meant to be shared. But I promise you, sharing your gifts brings joy.
Wren, winner of a 2022 Independent Publisher Award Bronze Medal
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