Psalm Reflection: The Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

“Praise the Lord, my soul!” - Psalm 146

Where is your soul?

Point to it.

Since I cannot see you, I will use an analogy instead.

If you were a peach, what part of the peach would be your soul?

Think about it for a second.

If you said the pit, that is a great and common answer, but it is also wrong.

If you were a peach, your soul would actually be the juice.

That is because our soul is the part of us that animates our body; it is what gives us life. When the soul leaves the body, the body remains but has no life. Your soul is present in every single cell and part of your body. That means that everything you do to your body effects your soul and vice versa.

If we sin and wound our soul, it often has detrimental effects on us physically, emotionally and mentally. On the other hand, when we pursue a relationship with God and seek His grace in the Sacraments, we form habits and virtues that lead to better physical, mental and emotional health.

In the same way, if we do not take care of our bodies, our soul will suffer. 

I started to realize this after our first child was born. I was now a father and started seeing research about how children learn their habits from their dads. Every major habit we have from faith, hobbies and interests, disciplines, and even physical health, nutrition and exercise has a direct correlation to our fathers. 

That does not mean we get nothing from our mothers. Instead know our sense of self from our mothers. Psychologically speaking, in early childhood we see our mothers as extensions of ourselves. As a result, our fathers are the first “others” we encounter and so we watch and mimic them more than anyone else.

When I realized all of this I was overweight, undisciplined, not taking care of myself, and having health concerns as a result. I had tried and failed before to be disciplined, but this time I recognized I had a responsibility to myself and my family to be a good steward of the life and body God gave me. 

I learned everything I could about nutrition and fasting and lost 90 pounds. I had so much more energy that I was finally able to have the motivation to exercise and was able to put healthy weight back on in the form of muscle, and all of my health concerns disappeared. My wife and I joined Orange Theory in January of this year and have noticed how much happier and less anxious we are as a result of consistent exercise. Coming from me, a person who has always HATED running and has now run 380 miles so far this year, that is incredible.

However, what I did not expect from this journey was the spiritual discipline that came with it. It was suddenly easier for me to make the commitment to pray everyday, to read Scripture, to make time for God and for the relationships and passions that mattered most to me. Even though I was adding more to my schedule with a very specific nutritional and exercise routine, I found I was more productive, focused, and less stressed. I was able to make time for even more, all of which was bringing peace and joy into my life.

The words of this week’s Psalm remind us to praise the Lord with our soul, but our souls are not separate from our bodies. We also have to prayerfully reflect, discern, and consider how we need to, as Scripture says, glorify God with our bodies:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.” - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

This is why we have so many gestures and postures of prayer in the Catholic tradition and at Mass. We stand, sit, kneel, make the sign of the cross or gestures of peace because they all signify something deeper. Our physical gestures and postures amplify a spiritual reality of prayer, worship or devotion. The same things is true in all we do with our bodies.

So, how are you praising God with your body? 

Start with thinking and reflecting about how you view yourself. 

Do you have a self-deprecating or negative view of yourself or your body?

God created you good and with dignity (Genesis 1:26-27, Jeremiah 1:5). He does not mess up or make junk.

Perhaps those thoughts come from a place of yearning and desire to be a better steward of the life and body God has given you. 

What are some easy, practical steps you can take today?

This is not about looking a certain way or having an ideal body, it is about making good, healthy, life-giving choices that lead to a better life, body and soul, for the glory of God.

What can you do to glorify God with your body this week in the following areas?:

• Nutrition

• Exercise

• Stretching, flexibility & posture

• Chastity & Purity

• Going to the Doctor, Dentist, Dermatologist or Optometrist

• Taking your medicine, vitamins or supplements

• Temperance or abstinence from alcohol or drugs

• Caffeine & sugar intake

• Getting outside (wear sunscreen!)

• Eye Strain & limiting screen time

• Rest and reducing stress

• Breathing & meditation

• Self harm or self esteem

• Mental health, anxiety, depression & therapy

Pick one and start.

There is so much we can start doing or stop doing to immediately to start living a life that not only pursues God in our soul, but in every part of who we are.

Let us know in the comments what you are trying to do (or not do) so we can pray for you!

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist!

Matt