1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Hymn to Christian Love
If I could speak all the human and angelic languages but had no love, I would just be making noise like a clanging cymbal or sounding brass.
If I had the gift of prophecy, understanding all mysteries, possessing all knowledge, and had faith enough to move mountains but lacked love, I would be nothing.
If I gave all I owned to the poor and even sacrificed my body to be burned, but am without love, it would be do no good for me.
Love is patient and kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not rude, nor does it seek its own interests.
Love overcomes anger and forgives offenses.
It does not rejoice in wrongdoings but celebrates the truth.
Love forgives everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love will never end. Prophecies may cease, tongues will be silent, and knowledge will disappear.
For knowledge only partly understands the truth, and the same is true for prophecy.
But when what is perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.
When I was a child, I thought and reasoned like a child, but when I grew up, I put away childish ways.
Now, we see dimly as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now, we know only part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now, faith, hope, and love remain, but the greatest of these is love.
Commentaries
Spiritual Gifts.
Paul now uses the image of the “body of Christ” to address another issue facing the community in Corinth: rivalries, jealousy, and quarrels over the different spiritual gifts—charisms—that Christians received and practiced within and outside the community.
What, then, was the problem? The same as always: those who performed the most humble tasks were undervalued, despised, and subordinate. On the other hand, some leaders stood out from the group and ended up dominating and silencing the others, often the poorest and least influential. Paul therefore aims to stop the abuse of discrimination and arrogance by some privileged individuals, affirming that ministries, charisms, and activities all originate from the Lord, his Spirit, and God.
Hymn to Christian Love.
Just as the body functions and is animated by organic processes, in the Church these are carried out by the super charism of love. At this point, Paul’s language becomes lyrical as he praises love.
How can this love be explained? Setting aside all definitions, Paul passionately dismisses and relativizes every human gift, quality, effort, renunciation, and sacrifice that is not motivated by love-charity (1-3). Then, he explains how a person who loves behaves (4-7), concluding that, ultimately, when we meet God face to face, faith and hope will have fulfilled their purpose and only love will endure forever. Only love for Christ and His body, now inseparable, can create community. As St. John of the Cross said, “on the last day we will be examined on love.”