One Body

I love the second reading from Corinthians for today's Mass. St. Paul talks about how, though made up a many parts, the body is one. He uses this many parts-one essence as a metaphor for describing how each of us brings a different skill set to various roles that can benefit the whole. "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." Different people, one body in Christ. (1 Cor. 12:28)

I also love reading and thinking about the writings of shotokan's founder, the school teacher from Okinawa, Gichin Funakoshi. The 5th of his 20 Precepts translates "Spirit first, technique second." When I am judging kata performance at tournaments and there are two fairly equally matched karateka doing the same kata, I try to apply this precept in determining the winner. If techniques are equally well executed, who has the better spirit? By which athlete would I least like to be hit with one of those techniques? Who is merely walking through the kata and who is orchestrating the body's parts for one purpose?

Precept 17 is wonderful too. "Beginners must master low stance and posture, natural body positions are for the advanced." Different parts, one activity; different ages, same activity.

St. Paul wrote, "Now you are Christ's body and individually parts of it."