A reflection on 1 Corinthians 4:9–14 and Luke 12:32–34 in the spirit of St. Philip Benizi, Confessor
Today’s liturgy places before us the humility of Christ’s servants, contrasted with the glory of the world, through the words of St. Paul and the Lord Himself.
In the Epistle, St. Paul speaks with piercing candor:
“We are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake… we are weak… even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode.” (1 Cor. 4:9–11)
Here, the Apostle unveils the mystery of apostolic suffering: the Christian, especially the shepherd, is marked by derision, want, and humiliation. St. John Chrysostom notes that Paul “exalts the Cross not by silencing his shame, but by proclaiming it; for in the very things they deride, lies his crown” (Hom. in 1 Cor. 12). The weakness of the Apostle is the strength of Christ shining forth.
And yet, our Lord in the Gospel whispers words of tender reassurance:
“Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. Sell what you possess, and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not.” (Luke 12:32–33)
How striking is this juxtaposition: St. Paul speaks of deprivation, while Christ promises inheritance. The Church Fathers teach us not to see a contradiction, but a mystery.
St. Augustine remarks: “The Lord did not say, Fear not, great flock, but little. For the world’s multitude walks the broad way, but the few walk the narrow. Yet, small though they seem, to them belongs the kingdom that knows no end” (Serm. 96).
St. Gregory the Great, preaching on this passage, adds: “To sell what we have and to give alms is not only to pour forth money, but to renounce the swelling of pride, to forsake the delights of the flesh, to abandon the vanities of the world. These are the treasures which moth and rust cannot consume.” (Hom. in Evang. 13).
How fitting that on this feast of St. Philip Benizi, Confessor of the Servite Order, the Church reads these texts. Philip, born to nobility, chose the humility of poverty and the contempt of the world. He fled honors, despised riches, and sought obscurity — becoming a living witness to St. Paul’s words. Like the Apostle, he was willing to be thought a “fool” for Christ; like the “little flock” in today’s Gospel, he lived for the kingdom alone.
In this lies our encouragement: if the saints endured contempt and deprivation, so must we; but if the Father has given them the Kingdom, so too is it promised to us, provided we follow in their steps.
Let us then not fear the world’s judgment, nor cling to perishable treasure. Instead, may we embrace the humility of the Apostle, and the trust of the “little flock,” storing up treasures in heaven where Christ reigns, and where His saints, like Philip Benizi, now rejoice forever.