Paul's instructions about head coverings in worship reflect cultural expressions of gender distinctions while affirming the spiritual equality and mutual interdependence of men and women in Christ. His correction of their Communion abuses reveals how economic divisions had corrupted the Lord's Supper into an occasion for displaying wealth rather than celebrating unity. The warning that improper participation in Communion brings judgment, including sickness and death, emphasizes the seriousness of treating Christ's sacrifice with contempt or indifference.