Lord of the Flesh::: Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

Year A

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Psalm 33:12-13.14-15.20-21 (R.12b)

Luke 4:38-44

Lord of the Flesh 

Yesterday we reflected on the fact that to be spiritual, we must realize that our body as temple of God means we are tripartite; spirit, soul and body, just as the temple is made up of three parts.  We also said that the Holy of Holies is the spirit part of man and just as in the Holy of Holies God dwells there, so to God dwells in man's spirit.  Thus to be spiritual we must recognize this fact. 

Today, with Paul talking about men of the flesh and Jesus rebuking the fever of Simon's mother-in-law, we reflect on Jesus Christ as the Lord of the flesh and hence look at the third part of man, the Body. 

Jeremiah 32:27 

Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh: shall any thing be hard for me? 

We all have insecurities we are dealing with, but mostly we pass it onto other people. We all go through a lot; heart breaks, sickness, joblessness, jealousy, pains, and all the insecurities associated with the body.  We become judgmental and with the spectacle we have from our insecurities we Judge others and the world. 

Since the soul's ultimate need is knowledge, and because of this the soul delights in the senses and hence co-operate with the body; when the body is at fault, it affects the soul which might eventually neglect the spirit.  When Adam and Eve were seeking Knowledge and delighted more in the flesh they led the whole of humanity to fall.

While the spirit seeks Life and the soul seeks Truth, the body which can lead the whole man to fall seeks direction and Jesus is the Way. Jesus show's us what humanity is meant to be and who God is. 

Just as the soul has five things (connect, commit, create, serve and express) it wants in other to gain the knowledge it needs, so to the body have five senses (sight, smell, hear, taste and touch) that directs it. All these need the right direction otherwise they will lead us to sin.

There is no security from temptation in this life, but we must know that we cannot become saints under the best conditions, but only under the worst conditions. All the saints encountered greater challenges like we do now but they strived through it. 

Whatever situation that you are in now, know that it could make you a saint if you choose to accept the right direction from the perfect man who is the Way, Jesus Christ the Lord of the Flesh. 

By 

Sylvester Amakye-Quayson