This week’s second reading from 1 Corinthians picks up where we left off last Sunday. Last week we heard about the diversity of the Body of Christ, namely, the gifts: some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. This is absolutely true. God blesses each of us with different gifts.

However, last week’s second reading needs to be read in the context of the selection for this Sunday. St. Paul begins, “strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.” Then he says, “But I shall show you a still more excellent way.” It had seemed like pursuing those gifts was the most excellent way, but now it is evident that this is not the case. St. Paul is now telling us to strive for the most excellent—so faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Because love never fails. St. Paul is warning us of several pitfalls. First, to not put our pursuit of these goods above our pursuit of the love of God. Second, to not place our faith in the possession of these gifts that are not our own, but freely given by the Creator. We have no right to these gifts, as they are gifts.
 
Faith, hope, and love are more fundamental to the Christian life than these gifts, especially love. These gifts flow out from these theological gifts as freely given. St. John of the Cross writes eloquently about this topic in the Ascent of Mount Carmel book III, chapters 30-32. St. John of the Cross cautions us from rejoicing too much in the gift itself, which is very easy to do. To find joy in the gift, rather than the giver. To seek the gift, rather than the giver. St. John writes regarding supernatural gifts and graces (those mentioned by St. Paul):

In order to purge ourselves of vain joy in them,
it is well to notice two benefits which are comprised in this kind of gift—namely, temporal and
spiritual….With respect to the first kind of benefit — namely, the temporal — supernatural works and miracles merit little or no rejoicing on the part of the soul; for, without the second kind of benefit, they are of little or no importance to man, since they are not in themselves a means for uniting the soul with God, as charity is. And these
supernatural works and graces may be performed by those who are not in a state of grace and charity, whether they truly give thanks and attribute their gifts to God.
 
A man, then, should rejoice, not when he has such graces and makes use of them, but when he reaps from them the second spiritual fruit, namely that of serving God in them with true charity, for herein is the fruit of eternal life. By this it is understood that a man should not rejoice save when he is walking in the way of life, which he may do by performing good works in charity; for where is the profit and what is the worth in the sight of God of aught that is not love of God? And this love is not perfect if it be not strong and discreet in purging the will of joy in all things, and if it be not set upon doing the will of God alone. (Book III, chpt 30; emphasis mine)
 
Let us not seek and love the gift more than the giver. Let love remain because love never fails.