Making All Things New: The Fullness of the Body of Christ
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone” (1 Corinthians 12: 4-6).
Lately, I have wrestled with the notion of “diversifying the narrative.” It’s the idea that consumerism, popular culture, and generational wounds coerce us into a storyline that we were never made for. The narrative depends on the audience at the time: what makes the perfect Catholic, the perfect woman, the perfect wife, the perfect body.
The narrative is often a small, empty version of the world around us.
I briefly touched on this notion, describing the narrative as if we were putting ourselves in a box. The box is never our friend; rather, it pulls us further away from our authentic self. The real freedom, we will find, lies in true authenticity.
This authenticity will naturally produce diversity. We each have gifts and traits, charisms and strengths that are irreplaceable and that only we can contribute to the world. If we fail to live out these gifts, traits, charisms, and strengths, we are not allowing the Body of Christ to manifest in its fullness.
St. Paul himself writes to the Corinthians in his first letter about the celebration of diversity in the Body of Christ: “God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body” (1 Corinthians 12:18-20). We are all invited to step into our rightful place in the fullness of the Body of Christ, exactly as God has intended us, come what trials may arise.
Consider the mental exercise below to learn more about who God is calling you to be and where He is calling you to shine:
Learn Your Story
Start from the beginning. Work through every chapter. Recall the hard parts: the scary and the traumatic. Recall the times that make you cringe and the times that make you come alive.
Where were the successes, and where were the failures? How have these events paved the trajectory of your story?
Learn Your Unique Gifts
Think about your gifts and what comes naturally to you. How do you live out these gifts personally, professionally, spiritually, and academically? Whom in your life can you seek guidance from (mentors, family, friends, spiritual directors, therapists, professors, etc.)? What seems to be the trends to your successes in life? Which gifts contribute to those successes?
Start Saying “Yes,” and Start Saying “No”
Say “yes” to open doors and to gut feelings. Follow where you find peace. Say “no” to crossed boundaries and to feelings of shame. Stop following paths that lead to unrest. Practice patience and prudence.
Live With Bold Compassion
Live beyond the passivity of “you do you,” and invest in your relationships with the people around you. Put yourself in a room with people who do not think like you. Say what is on your heart. Fail, say the wrong things, and forgive quickly.
Flip a few tables for the sake of the Kingdom. Take risks for a friend, and take risks for a stranger. Pray unceasingly for your friends and your enemies. Love radically, beyond all of your fears.
Always look to the margins. Practice holy boldness, living as Jesus has taught us.
Compassion will help you grow in authenticity, because your love for others reflects the love you give yourself. When you are intentional in how you treat others — with grace, forgiveness, mercy, and courage — you can start seeing how you may not reciprocate those same traits internally. You’re worthy of bold compassion, too.
St. Paul describes followers of Christ as a new creation in his second letter to the Corinthians: “The old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Where are you being called to accept the invitation, to boldly live out your part in the Body of Christ? In order to diversify the narrative, we need you in your fullness.
“Be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire” (St. Catherine of Siena).
Mindy Edgington is a fiery, Midwestern Catholic convert from St. Louis, Missouri. She currently lives in Omaha, NE with her husband and their hound dog while he pursues law school at Creighton University. By day, Mindy works as a senior security engineer in third party risk management for a Fortune 300 health care system. She also regularly volunteers with the Catholic Charities Immigration Office in town. Her hobbies include: "strong drinks and hard conversations,” writing, hiking, and reading in her local coffee shops and bars (in typical extrovert fashion). You can follow her on Instagram @mindy.edgington.