"The intimacy that exists between soul and body is a marvel of creation and a mystery of human existence. Yet we do wrong to think, because the soul will be judged after death while the body crumbles in the grave, that this mortal handful of dust is any less a gift of God, any less noble or beautiful than the immortal soul. It is in the body that we exist and work out our salvation. It is in the body that we see and take delight in the beauties of God's created universe, and in the body that we ourselves bear the marks of Christ's passion. The mysterious interplay of body and soul is an essential characteristic of our human nature...
(Furthermore) Theologians have written about the Incarnation as the central act of our redemption, the high point in the drama of salvation history... what we tend to forget , though, is the very folky truth that God by his Incarnation took on a human body (Ciszek, He Leadth Me). It is true. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God... the Word was God... And that Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only True Son, full of grace and truth (John 1)"... The Word became Flesh - what a glorious mystery! I have been reflecting on the passage from John for sometime. One day I realized that in a similar manner in which when God spoke things happened (Let there be light - there was light, Let there be man - there was man.. with it heighted to His very Word becoming Incarnate God) as a Christian, I ought to let my words produce real, tangible fruit... I must become 'Christ' for others. It is so easy to saying nice things; sitting around talking about what needs to be done; talking about how my brother isn't doing 'this or that'; read a good inspiring book... while being 'Christ' for others means putting siding on an elderly lady's trailer; making dinner for a random group of college students; taking the mail out for Grandma; looking someone in the eye and helping them feel like a person. It is action. Some have said, "Love does" God in His love, allowed His Word to create a glorious mystery - that is the Word become Flesh! From whose fullness, we have received grace by grace! This is the quintessential act, covering all people, for all time...
I am challenged! I realize the going gets sticky like the rich brown molasses that ends up sticking up the whole rim rather than making it into the delicious ginger snaps; the doing happens less often than more; action takes time and energy that doesn't serve the self... How am I to bring my words, my body, myself (physical) ... so they are transformed into 'Christ' for my brother, sister or neighbor? "The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh weak". "Truly, man is a creature composed of body and soul, and we work out our salvation in this vale of tears through the medium of the flesh (Ciszek)". It is in the mystery of our humanness- body and soul, that we live, move and serve.
At midnight mass, my priest brought forth a challenge in his homily. That call was for us to gift people with our presence. He reminded us that in the same way God, came among humanity, fully man and fully God, to embrace us, His children and spill into us His grace so we ought to in our humanity with body and spirit embrace the person in others with our full presence. In a time of instant messaging, texting, email, Skype it is all too easy to overlook the people in our very midst. I am as guilty as that hawk who swooped up our chicken in being physically in one place but mentally/heart-ally in another. This challenge pierced straight through my heart - be all present. Sounds easy... perhaps this is where I need to start with living out the gospel. Perhaps this is a tangible, ordinary way to acknowledge the person God created in another... perhaps it is a starting point... I want to let my presence be a present for those God would allow me to cross paths with... and that will only happen with being fully presence in the moment...day to day... ordinary life.
