(Please read the above passage before the homily.)
What is love? St Paul accuses the Corinthians of being immature and acting according to purely human motives. This is not love. I see in you what St Paul did not see in the Corinthians.
The Corinthians thought of themselves only in human terms: this is not love. Some Corinthians were given to sumptuous living, greed, worshiping idols, disgraceful conduct, and stealing: this was not love. Other Corinthians were seeking their own advantage, not that of their neighbor: this was not love.
The Church is the body of Christ. There are many parts, but only one body of Christ. Not everyone can be apostle, or speak in the name of God, or teach others. Some can work miracles, others can cure diseases, other can give assistance to those in need, others can serve as leaders in the community, others can speak mysterious languages, others can interpret them. Such gifts are for the good of the whole Church, not only for the individual. If they are only for those who have such gifts, this is not love.
What is love? Love governs relationships with others. If there is no one to share it, there is no love. God is love because God is three persons, equal in power and majesty. God is love because the three persons love each other and work together in creating the universe. God has not restricted God’s love to self, but God has shared this love with everyone in the universe.
Love is patient with others. Love shares its good with others. Love is not envious of others, but welcomes them. Love is humble and submits self to others. Love is understanding and merciful to others. Love rejoices when others have good things happening to them. Love sees the good in others. Love pardons others. Love believes all things, is hopeful in all circumstances and supports everybody. Love joins us all together.
In you, in your community, in your relations among yourselves and with others, I see the patience, the goodness, the humility and the mercy of your love. I am pleased to see this.
The time will come when these gifts will no longer exist, because we shall no longer need them. Love, however, will always remain since we always need our relationship with God and God’s creation. In the fullness of time, when God is all in all, the oneness of God with creation will be manifested in the mutual love of God and us.