"God Has Visited His People" (Lk 7:16)

In today's first reading, 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a, St. Paul speaks about the body of Christ, into which "we were all baptized."  Through baptism we became "individually [a] part of [Christ's body].  Just as with the human body there are many parts and each part has a role to play in the body being healthy and a fully functioning body, so, too, with the body of Christ.   Each member of the body of Christ has been given gifts: the gift to teach, to preach, to heal, to govern, to prophesy, to assist others, to do mighty works, and so on. We are all called to "[s]trive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts."  What might those be?  I believe that the greatest spiritual gift is to know Jesus Christ and follow His Way, the way of self-sacrificing love, the love Jesus showed us on the cross: a willingness to die so others may live--dying to selfishness, doing things to ease the burdens of others, making a difference in peoples' lives, choosing to be honest no matter what the cost, going the extra mile for those in need, especially those in our families and communities.  If we choose to live honestly and justly and give generously, cheerfully, lovingly, humbly, God, I believe, is revealed to others. And others will say of us as they said of Jesus: "God has visited his people" (Luke 7:16).