“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God.” ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19
Is the Body Bad?
The early Christians argued against the gnostics who believed that the body was evil and of no importance. This point is easily refutable. If Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He had no issue with the human body, in fact He had a human body. He as God chose to be born as a human.
“For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” ~ Roman Missal
He could’ve revealed Himself to us in another way, but He chose to become human. Honestly, if it’s good enough for Jesus, then it’s good enough for me. What God has created is good and when it comes to humans we’re great. God himself said so.
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the invocation of God in prayer.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:4
Get Ahold of Yourself, Man
Obesity is a huge problem in America and there is no denying that, but we can’t blame it on the food. We can’t blame anything or anyone for our faults. If I have learned anything in my few years as a Christian it’s that we have to take responsibility for our actions and have self-discipline.
If you are overweight, then you have to eat less and exercise more. You have to take control of your life. If you overeat you will become overweight and unhealthy, it’s a fact. We all have temptations and we can’t control that, but what we can control is the way in which we respond to those temptations. I know that if you put a one-pound hamburger in front of me I will eat it, so when I go to a restaurant where I know the portions are enormous, I split a plate with my wife. Now I could just order my own plate, but then I am giving in to that temptation. Do I really need to eat that whole plate? What effect will this meal have on my health?
“Our lives change when our habits change.” ~ Matthew Kelly
As Christians we face this same issue with our spiritual health. We know that sin takes us farther away from God, but sometimes sin just feels so good! Those are the hardest temptations to resist, but we have to step back, take a deep breath, and ask ourselves “what effect will this have on my soul?” and tell God that we need his help.
Broken Tools Don’t Work
The prayer of St. Francis begins: “Lord, Make me an instrument of your peace…” We are instruments, vessels, and tools which God uses to spread His love throughout the world. Our physical health is important, because if we are limited by our physical condition due to our own poor choices that might prevent Him from using us. We’ve got to take care of ourselves physically and spiritually.
“Treat your body as if you are going to live forever, and treat your soul as if you are going to die tomorrow.” ~ St. Augustine
What words of wisdom! It’s no wonder this guy is a saint. I take his words to heart and I hope we can all begin to realize that we need to take care of ourselves, both body and soul. Take care.