Parts Of The Body

Sed multo magis quae videntur membra corporis infirmiora esse, necessariora sunt. Manifestum est, quia quamvis aliquis dignitate sublimis sit, si subjectus tamen defuerit, qui obsequiis suis illum faciat gloriosum, ipsa dignitas contemptibilis erit, officium enim est, per quod dignitas constat. Tale est si imperatori desit exercitus. Quamvis ergo magnus sit imperator, necessarium tamen habet exercitum; membrum est enim corporis, ante se habens tribunos, comites, et magistros. His omnibus inferiores sunt milites, et magis necessarii sunt, sicut membra corporis, quae cum inferiora videntur, plus utilia sunt; sine oculis enim manus operatur, et pes ambulans victum quaeritat. Et quae putamus ignobiliora esse membra corporis, his abundantiorem honorem circumdamus. Similis est sensus, quia qui putantur sine dignitate esse, inveminus in eis quod laudemus, sicut et in membris vilioribus, quod plus nobis placeat, quam quod in caeteris invenimus. Quo enim honore dignae sunt manus, quando quod volumus, tenemus. Vel pedes, cum quibus quo volumus, imus. Propterea et nos addimus eis honorificentiam, ut puta pedibus; quos quia humiles sunt et sine dignitate, calceamentis ornamus. Et quae inhonesta sunt nostra, abundantiorem honorem habent. Manifestum est quia pudenda nostra, quae turpia videntur, dum aspectus publicos vitant, honestate se contegunt, ne per irreverentiam horreant. Simili modo et quidam fratum, cum sint egestate et habitu inhonesti; non tamen sunt sine gratia, per quam membra sint corporis nostri: nam solent succincti vesticula tetrica, nudo pede, incedere. Cum ergo videantur contemptibiles, magis honori sunt; quia solent vitam habere mundiorem. Quod enim hominibus videtur despectum, solet a Deo pulchrum judicari. Quae autem honesta sunt nostra, nullius egent. Apertum est quia caput non eget, neque facies, neque manus, ut his addatur per quod decorentur: ita et fratribus, in quibus studium peritiae, et conversationis viget honestas, nihil est quod a nobis additur; debit enim illis redditur honor. Despectis vero vel humilibus exhortatio necessaria est, per quam addatur illis aliquis honor, ut fiant utiles: si quominus, ipso contempu negligenties circa se erunt, in quibus proficiendum est. Sed Deus temperavit corpus, ei cui deerat, abundantiorem tribuendo honorem; ut non sit schisma in corpore, sed pro invicem sollicita sint membra. Sic dicit a Dei moderatum humanum corpus, ut omnia membra ejus necessari sint; ac per hoc pro se invicem sollicita, quia aliud sine altero esse non potest: et quod inferius putatur, magis necessarium est; sicut et de fratribus expositum est, vel disputatum, quia nullus debet velut inutilis despici. Et si quid patitur unum membrum, compatiuntur omnia membra. Hoc de membris corporis carnis ambiguum non est; quia si oculus, aut pes, vel manus capiatur aegritudine aliqua infirmitatis, totum corpus condolet: ita et nos docet condolere fratribus, si aliquid hujusmodi, aut necessitatis emersit. Sive glorificatur unum membrum, congaudeant omnia membra. Manifestum est quia laetum est caput sive caetera membra, si pedes fuerint accurati vel sani. Sic debemus et nos alacres fieri, si fratrem aliquem viderimus cultorem Dei, et auctum honestate morum, hoc est, sanum esse consilio. Vos autem estis corpus Christi et membra de membro. Ostendit aperte nostram se causam per membrorum carnalium rationem tractasse; quia non omnes possumus eadem, sed singuli pro qualitate fidei et gratiam habemus concessam. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Corinthios Primam, Caput XII Source: Migne PL 17.248b-249c

But much more necessary are the parts of the body that seem to be weaker. 1 It is manifest that although someone may have the highest dignity, if however he lacks what is subject to him, that which makes obeisance to that glory, that dignity shall be contemptible, for it is by the office that dignity stands. So is it is if an emperor lacks an army. Although the emperor may be great, it is yet necessary he has an army; it is a member of his body. Before him he has tribunes, and counsellors and magistrates, and to all these the soldiers are inferior, and they are more necessary, for as members of the body, though they seem inferior, they are more useful. For without the eyes the hand can act and the foot by walking seek food. And what are thought to be ignoble parts of the body, we surround these with greater honour. The sense is similar, because they who are thought to be without dignity, when we find in them what is worthy of praise, since it is found in more vile members, it should please us more than to find it in others. What honour is the hand worthy of with which what we want we seize! Or the feet with which where we wish to go, we go! Besides, that we do add honour to them, consider the feet, which though they are lowly and without dignity, we adorn with shoes. And what is unseemly has more abundant honour. Manifestly our private parts, which because they seem to be vile, are hidden from public view, being covered by modesty lest shamelessness offend. In like manner certain brothers, when they are needy and clothed poorly, are not however without grace, by which they are members of our body, for they are accustomed to bind their loins with dirty cloths and to walk with bare feet. When, therefore, they seem to be contemptible, more is their honour, because they strive to have a cleaner life. For what seems despicable to men, is often adjudged fair by God. But God has ordered the body so that to that which is lacking more abundant honour be given, by which there may not be division in the body, but the members may have care for one another. So it is said that the human body is arranged by God so that every one of its members is necessary and that by this each part has care for one another, because one without the other cannot be, and what is deemed inferior is more necessary, as has been explained concerning brothers, or argued for, because no one should be despised as useless. And if one member suffers, so every member suffers. This is not obscure when related to bodily members, because if the eyes or the foot is gripped by some ailment of infirmity, all the body suffers with it. Thus we are taught to suffer with our brothers, if something like this, or of need, has befallen them. And then if one member is glorified all the members rejoice with it. Manifest it is that the head is glad, and the other members also, if the feet are functioning and healthy. So even we should be cheerful if we see a brother reverent before God, and grown in virtuous conduct, that is, if he is of healthy mind. You are of the body of Christ and each members of it. He openly shows why he has developed this account of us as bodily members, because we are not all the same, but each according to the manner of his faith has been given grace. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The First Letter of Saint Paul To The Corinthians, Chapter 12 1 1 Cor 12.22