Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. — Psalm 24:(see 6)

Mass readings: Romans 8:1-11 / Luke 13:1-9

Body and Soul

We’ve been traditionally taught that we humans are something of a hybrid: we’re both body and soul, or spirit. Against that backdrop, today’s first reading from Romans can be extremely misleading without some explanation. St. Paul keeps contrasting “body” or “flesh” with “spirit.” He insists that body and flesh are bad, while spirit is good. We might think, “Hey, I’m flesh; I have a body. And I occasionally like to treat my body to a nice rib eye steak. What’s so bad about that?”

The answer? Nothing. In this context, “flesh” or “body” means someone who wants to go it alone, without God, concerned only with earthly things. “Spirit” describes someone who is enlivened and guided by the Spirit of Jesus. (Light up the grill. It’s OK.)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to live in Your Spirit today and every day.