Friday 17 November 2017
St Elizabeth of Hungary. Day of Penance.
Wisdom 13:1-9. Psalm 18(19):2-5. Luke 17:26-37.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God — Psalm 18(19):2-5.
Seek first the kingdom of God.
‘Those who seek to preserve their life will lose it.’ The disciples must have found these words of Jesus to be particularly obscure. Then he added, ‘Those who lose their life will save it.’
Even more perplexingly, what does this scripture mean to us today? Surely we are not meant to ignore the care of our bodies, our life. Correct diet, exercise and adequate sleep are essential elements in healthy living. Our bodies are the ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’. Of course, we should maintain them.
The problem may be when either our health or our body image becomes our main focus. What is our priority—our bodies or God? Do we spend more time pursuing our creator or what he has created? We are asked to seek first the kingdom of God. How best can we do that today?
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