What Edifies

I have found that Saint Paul writes a very dense and complex text. I am always amazed, though, at how much theology is packed into so few words. It takes some "unpacking," though. It is worth the effort.

Today, consider the text:

"all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." (I Corinthians 10: 23)

Saint Paul is referring to the liberty that he and all believers experience from the Mosaic law. However, he is pointing out that liberty is not the end of the story. In a way, I see this as yet another exposition of the divine order, the purpose and glory of God, that this gift of liberty is so manifestly only a pointer to even greater things. Our liberty is born of love and love desires that we lift up. I think of Pope Benedict's beautiful description of ascending and descending love in Deus Caritas Est. Saint Paul's evocation of edification reminds one of the so-called "oblative" love (amor benevolentiae) - or, as Benedict might say, love that does not "seek its own advantage."