Paul was not happy with his community in Corinth. Many were taking each other to court. The courts were not like our modern system but were inclined to favour imperial power and the wealthy. They were also tied to worship of the gods of Greece and Rome. Paul's biggest objection is that they felt the need to go to court in the first place. As a community of believers living in Christ and filled with the Spirit, they should have been able to work out their own problems. Going to court was a failure in faith and love. We should always try to work out our problems with others in a mature and spiritual fashion. When we do so, we show that we are truly living in the Spirit.

In Luke's Gospel, we often find Jesus at prayer, especially when he was faced with an important decision or action. His favorite place was the mountaintop - in the bible, that is where humans met God. At the conclusion of his prayer and meditation, he chose his twelve apostles. They were certainly far from perfect - they were very ordinary men - but Jesus was going to do extraordinary things with them. We should never think that we are unworthy to be disciples of Jesus. Empowered by the divine Spirit, Jesus continued his ministry of healing. That power is still there for us if we but open our minds and hearts.