The Body Is The Lord's

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B

1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20; John 1:35-42

The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:13

In today’s Gospel we see our Lord calling some of His first disciples.  They inquire, “Where are you staying?”  And He invites them, “Come, and you will see.”  To follow Jesus is to embark on pilgrimage.  This world is not our home and its values are not always ours.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of morality, specifically sexual morality.  We are called to chastity; complete chastity if we are single and marital chastity if married.  But we live in a world that believes that liberty means license and so constantly confronts us with notions that are opposed to what we have been taught.

St. Paul takes up this theme in today’s second reading.  “The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord.”  That serves as the theme for everything else he says here.  Our bodies are members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore they are to be treated as holy. 

Let’s talk about the body for a moment.  The body is a part of who we are.  We are not embodied spirits.  We are composites of body and spirit.  Our body tells us as much about ourselves as our intuition.  When we die our spirit separates from our bodies.  However, this is not the end, contrary to popular belief.  In the end, our Lord will return in power and glory.  Then the dead will be raised and spirit and body will reunite and we will ever after remain body and spirit.

Our body provides the visible expression of our spirits.  What we will in the spirit is carried out by the body.  In addition, our bodies, as well as our spirits, are intended to be holy; set apart for the Lord and His purposes.

We do not have a right over our own body.  That also is a lie.  We are intended to glorify God in the body.  It is the Lord who has the right over our body.  So if a child is growing within our body it is not our right to kill it.  We do not have a right to eat and drink as we please.  We do not have a right to be lazy and not exercise.  We do not have a right to misuse the sexual faculty given us.  All of these things are to be governed by God and directed by Him.  When they are, they tend to His glory and the service of others.  They also tend to our best as well as our peace and joy.

These are not things we often hear.  We need to have an ear attuned to the still, small voice of the Lord like Samuel in our first reading.  And like him, when we hear that voice we are to reply, “Speak, for your servant is listening,” and in the words of the Psalmist, “To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”

So, what is the will of the Lord as pertains to this issue of keeping our body holy and avoiding sexual immorality?  Simply put, sex is for marriage between one man and one woman for a lifetime.  Anything outside of that is gravely sinful.  Fornication, adultery, polygamy, and homosexual relations are all outside of the bounds God has given.  Furthermore, sex between husband and wife has as a primary end procreation.  God desires holy offspring [Malachi 2:15].  Therefore the use of contraception is also gravely sinful. 

It will be obvious to everyone at this point that this runs counter to everything we are told from the world around us about these issues.  But that is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  We will find Jesus abiding in this place of holiness.  If we want to be with Him, we will live there too. 

Certainly, this is not easy.  How is it to be done?

First, stay close to God in prayer and in the scripture.  If it isn’t already part of your daily routine, make some time each day for this.  Scripture will remind you of what God has said and prayer will hide it in your heart so you will not sin [Psalm 119:11].

Second, stay close to the Church.  Read a paragraph of the Catechism each day.  Attend Mass as often as possible, but especially on weekends and Holy Days.  Receive the sacraments.  They are a primary means of grace.  In addition, surround yourself with likeminded individuals who will reinforce these values of the kingdom.

Finally, do not be afraid.  We have the power of truth on our side.  I have never heard of anyone wishing on their deathbed that they had been more immoral.  On the day that you and I stand before the Lord we will be overjoyed that we held to the Lord’s command and we are invited to receive our reward.

But what if you’ve already fallen?  What if you haven’t lived as the Lord commands?  What if you’re not doing it now?  It’s never too late; not as long as you draw breath.  The Lord is always waiting and watching to see how He can show His mercy and restore us to His grace.  “Flee fornication” is the older rendering of verse 18’s “avoid immorality”.  I like that better.  It conveys immediate, quick, radical, and decisive action.  Do what you must to extract yourself from immoral relationships and fly to God for His mercy and grace.  He is waiting.  Don’t be afraid!

“Here am I Lord; I come to do your will.”  So we all sang together in the Psalm response.  Then let it be so here.  God will grant all the strength you need.  You will find true freedom, peace, and joy.