Apart from their doctrinal content, the structure of Paul's letters is very instructive and informative. After his introduction and his greeting, he speaks of his gratitude for the community's gifts. This is especially striking in today's opening passage of 1Corinthians. The Corinthian community which Paul was writing to was a particularly troublesome one. Yet it is remarkable that even in this Community, Paul found much to thank God for. Apart from the Letter to the Galatians, Paul finds some point for gratitude to begin his letters with.

This is important both as revelation and as spiritual formation: before dealing with the community's problem and before teaching them either on doctrinal or moral points, Paul turn to God in gratitude. This gives his teaching a proper focus and a centre in God just as his Christian greeting "grace and peace" and his reference to his Apostolic calling. Both add important Christian and authoritative parameters to what he is about to teach or even command them.

Spiritually we can learn from Paul: when we have moral or faith problems, we do better to be attentive to God's gifts and to be thankful for them, so that our approach, like Paul's, will be animated by thanksgiving.