The church that the Apostle Paul founded in Corinth, Greece . . .

The church that the Apostle Paul founded in Corinth, Greece, was a congregation beset with problems.  They were argumentative, divisive, pushy, and at times, downright petty.  They were giving preferential treatment to the wealthy, arguing about the sacraments, questioning the Resurrection, and seemed to have reduced the Sunday worship service to a weekly talent show, wherein those who possessed the gift of speaking in tongues tried to outperform one another.  Other than that, things were going just fine!

In the 13^th chapter of his first letter to the church, Paul attempts to show them a better way to behave as the body of Christ.  “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels,” he writes.  (But, honestly, wouldn’t it be great to speak with such divine eloquence that every time you opened your mouth, out flowed pearls of wisdom?)  “If I understand all mysteries and have all knowledge,” writes Paul.  (I’ve been trying to convince my children that I already possess this, but I’m pretty sure they’re on to my ruse.)  “If I have the faith to move mountains,” writes Paul.  (Who wouldn’t want to have the faith to move mountains … or human hearts … or to move nations from injustice to justice?)

As desirable as these gifts may be, Paul maintains that, without love, they amount to absolutely nothing.  Now, just to be clear, Paul is not speaking here about romantic love.  Not that there’s anything wrong with falling head-over-heels in love—“Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?”—it’s just that romantic love (euphoric as it may feel in the moment) doesn’t have the sustainability to last very long.

Nor is Paul speaking about friendship love.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that either.  I have increasingly come to appreciate that the deep bond of friendship we share with someone is a very rare and precious gift.  Most of us can probably count on one hand the number of true friendships we’re had over the course of our lives!

But Paul is speaking here about a love that transcends both romantic and friendship love.  It is not envious, or boastful, or impatient, or rude.  It does not insist upon its own way.  It is neither irritable nor resentful.  It never ends.

Everything else—eloquent speech, all-surpassing knowledge, mountain-moving faith—all of those things will eventually cease.  But not love.  It seems like something that, frankly, will always elude us as mere humans.  But what I think Paul is getting at is that we don’t need to create this love all on our own.  We simply need to share the love that God has already shown us!