Orchestrating the different gifts

We know that the Church is both hierarchical andcharismatic in nature. As charismatic, the Church continues to receivefrom God through Christ in the Holy Spirit special gifts and charismsto keep the Church strong, vibrant, and faithful. These gifts andcharisms are first given to certain persons who have to try their bestto live out those charisms for the good of the whole Church.

To be sure, these gifts and charisms are not meant onlyfor the persons who are the direct recipients of such gifts andcharisms, nor for the institutions that are inspired by thesecharisms. These gifts and charisms are meant for the whole Church.

While each gift and charism has its distinctive characterand purpose, and those involved with it should be faithful to it, ithas to be understood also that no gift and charism can stand on itsown alone. It has to refer itself to the hierarchy of the Church andto the other gifts and charisms that the whole Church has received.

Between the hierarchical and the charismatic aspects ofthe Church, the former has dominance over the latter, since it is thehierarchical aspect that Christ established in a visible way from theChurch’s foundation, while the latter, though already present in thebeginning of the Church, is largely invisible and therefore needs tobe acknowledged and regulated by the former.

This means that those involved with these special giftsand charisms should submit themselves to the Church hierarchy. Theyshould also try their best to relate themselves to those of the othergifts and charisms in the Church, so that a certain synergy can beachieved among them for the good of the whole Church. What should beavoided is to have an individualistic and isolationist outlook, and tofall into petty rivalries, envies, and fault-finding among themselves.

This way, they live out what St. Paul said about thedifferent parts of the body that work together under the same spiritfor the good of the body. These are his words: “Just as each of us hasone body with many members, and these members do not all have the samefunction, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each memberbelongs to all the others.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given toeach of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordancewith your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, thenteach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it isgiving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; ifit is show mercy, do it cheerfully.” (Rom 12,4-8)

Obviously, the hierarchy has the great responsibility notonly of supervising and encouraging those with these special gifts andcharisms, but also and more importantly of orchestrating all thesegifts and charisms so that the ideal synergy can be achieved among allof them for the good of the Church.

The practical implications of this concern can be thatthose in the hierarchy should develop the keen interest in knowingmore about each of these special gifts and charisms, spending timewith those involved, knowing and monitoring the developments in thosecharism-inspired institutions, etc.

Those of the hierarchy obviously have many things on theirplate, but this fact does not excuse them from their graveresponsibility toward those with special gifts and charisms. They haveto have a pro-active attitude toward them, an attitude that should benourished in their prayers and sacrifices.

They certainly have to thoroughly study about how toorchestrate these different gifts and charisms, always asking forguidance from the Holy Spirit.