Spiritual Health and Fitness

by Deacon James Corder

Have you caught the common cold or for some other reason become ill this winter? If you have -- or even if you have been fortunate to not get sick -- let's look at the similarities between taking care of our bodies and taking care of our souls.

It's that time of year. You know the drill. Mom always says make sure you get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids and make sure you are washing your hands often. Many people believe that the preceding advice is the best way to keep you and I from getting sick. I'm not sure if they work, but I am trying to do them -- just in case.

Get Back In Here And Put A Hat On!

I remember my mother used to yell at me when I went out of the house without a hat or gloves. As if cold ears or fingers were the cause of some sickness. But it wasn't just my mother -- I remember all of my friend's parents saying the same thing. But guess what? In spite of what mother might say, doctors will tell you that you can't catch a cold by going outside without a coat or by being out in the bitter wind. Sometimes these types of precautions are done just because we have always done them.

From a medical perspective, your doctor will tell you that what makes sense is to get rest, drink liquids, and keep your hands clean because germs and viruses are actually the things that will make us ill. The point is to prevent illness by exercising certain precautions. What's important for us to understand is that our spiritual health can be very similar. In other words, we must put ourselves in positions to not get "spiritually sick".

You Need Your Rest!

Get plenty of rest and make sure that you get away from the stress of life. Do things that are restful. Play games, read books; do innocent things that take the pressure off of you. Everyone needs time to have fun and relax (and stress can actually make you physically ill, too).

But try to balance yourself between school work and down time. It is the balance that is important. Remember: being too relaxed can cause more stress if it causes you to get behind and forces you to struggle to catch up.

Drink It In!

Drink in good things. What does that have to do with your spiritual health? It's simple: Pray and reflect on your faith often -- "Drink it in."

Drink in the goodness of God's love for us. See to it that your faith can sustain the good and bad times. Just as the body cannot function for more than a few hours without water -- our spirit will die without prayer and meditation. Make sure that your soul is given enough "refreshment" that it can keep you going.

Clean Hands Are Important!

Wash your hands because cleanliness is next to godliness. See to it that you take time to reflect on the areas of your life that need to be "cleaned up." What are some choices and decisions you are making that are "infecting" you? What are some habits that you need to clean up in your life?

Washing our hands protects us from germs. The Sacrament of Reconciliation can protect us from the sickness of pushing ourselves away from God. Reconciliation will wash us clean of the germs of selfishness and conceitedness.

Let us always remember that we get run down by not getting enough rest, we get weak from not taking in enough water, and that germs will get to us without regularly washing our hands. So let's take these few extra precautions and make sure that we keep our souls and our bodies healthy all year long!

Life Applications:

What are the ways in which you try to "rest"?
How can you "drink in" God's love for you?
What are some areas of life that need to be "cleaned up"?
Reflect on a positive experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. What made it positive?

Copyright 2003-2009 by Deacon James Corder
All rights reserved.