Jesus, in whom “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14), was fully human, even as he was fully divine, with both body and spirit operating as one. Jesus even returned to the “flesh” after the Resurrection; so, flesh cannot be bad, as it is the ongoing hiding place of God. - Richard Rohr
Today is the feast of the annunciation. It might be hard to even think of a connection of the birth of Jesus and Christmas so early in the year and with Easter so close in our hearts.
To me Christmas and Easter are so intimately linked and not simply because they are involve our Lord. The message is much deeper and Richard Rohr has nailed it. The Annunciation and Easter and Christmas all involve humanity in the most intimate of ways.
The Word became flesh speaks to an intimate duality which we share. God made us not spirit, not human, but both. We are in His image and we are not so much two natures in opposition but our humanity that is a hint and part of our spirituality. I recall being taught as a child that our bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit. I think it goes much deeper than that. Our bodies are active participants. How we handle that is a matter of our destiny, our entire being and our cooperation with what God has made us to be.
In trying to reconcile these two natures in one, many have arrived at the notion that the body is bad and the Spirit, obviously, good. But our bodies contribute to the glory of God, our bodies are the vehicles by which we worship in practical ways ( kneeling, meditation ) but also in intimate ways. From simple hugs to our sexuality, we catch a glimpse of the magnificence of God. In our sexuality we see that God is neither male nor female, that our sexuality is a gift to us that we share in the most intimate ways to another. Not to be taken lightly, it is so intimate it speaks to the love of God, the unique mingling of body and spirit that God created within us. Wow. In this view, making sex an act or separating it from our spirit almost seems blasphemy. It is like anything, moderation is key. The equilibrium is the answer. Rampant sex seems as bad as abstinence and all things have a time and place.
Today we celebrate the announcement to Mary that she will be the God bearer. God taking human form in the same intimate ways we live our lives every day from birth, childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Jesus is embracing it all and showing us that body and Spirit are not two opposing entities but one.
Today, and probably for many days, I will be meditating and thinking about our sexuality and our spirituality together. Our lives , lived well for the glory of God in all its fullness.
Today is the feast of the annunciation. It might be hard to even think of a connection of the birth of Jesus and Christmas so early in the year and with Easter so close in our hearts.
To me Christmas and Easter are so intimately linked and not simply because they are involve our Lord. The message is much deeper and Richard Rohr has nailed it. The Annunciation and Easter and Christmas all involve humanity in the most intimate of ways.
The Word became flesh speaks to an intimate duality which we share. God made us not spirit, not human, but both. We are in His image and we are not so much two natures in opposition but our humanity that is a hint and part of our spirituality. I recall being taught as a child that our bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit. I think it goes much deeper than that. Our bodies are active participants. How we handle that is a matter of our destiny, our entire being and our cooperation with what God has made us to be.
In trying to reconcile these two natures in one, many have arrived at the notion that the body is bad and the Spirit, obviously, good. But our bodies contribute to the glory of God, our bodies are the vehicles by which we worship in practical ways ( kneeling, meditation ) but also in intimate ways. From simple hugs to our sexuality, we catch a glimpse of the magnificence of God. In our sexuality we see that God is neither male nor female, that our sexuality is a gift to us that we share in the most intimate ways to another. Not to be taken lightly, it is so intimate it speaks to the love of God, the unique mingling of body and spirit that God created within us. Wow. In this view, making sex an act or separating it from our spirit almost seems blasphemy. It is like anything, moderation is key. The equilibrium is the answer. Rampant sex seems as bad as abstinence and all things have a time and place.
Today we celebrate the announcement to Mary that she will be the God bearer. God taking human form in the same intimate ways we live our lives every day from birth, childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Jesus is embracing it all and showing us that body and Spirit are not two opposing entities but one.
Today, and probably for many days, I will be meditating and thinking about our sexuality and our spirituality together. Our lives , lived well for the glory of God in all its fullness.
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