Chi Rho Reflection for the Week of February 12, 2012

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As one of the on-going ministries of Chi Rho Press,
here is a selection from our book of daily devotions,
"Living as the Beloved: One Day at a Time," by the
Rev. Dr. Sandra Bochonok.

Please read the Scripture passage and Dr. Bochonok's
meditation. We hope you will be blessed.

Thank you for forwarding this to your friends.

Our bodies have a spiritual vocabulary

"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and
we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's
only son, full of grace and truth."
John 1:14

The most popularly used Greek word for body is soma,
which refers to the whole human being of body,
emotions, intelligence, and will. Soma means all
our feelings, personalities, spirit, and physical
experiences of hunger, thirst, sexual desires,
fatigue, pain, pleasure, and joy. Tasting, feeling,
seeing, and hearing is part of our soma vocabulary.
If we are feeling tired, we probably are in need of
rest. Exhaustion and fatigue are often precursors
of illness and emotional breakdowns. Sleep is not
only a time for healing our body, but a time for
healing our spirit. Sometimes our moods may be
telling us to pay attention to our bodies.

How we relate to our bodies profoundly influences
our inner wellness, our spirituality, how we relate
to one another, and how we live. If we have contempt
for even one part of our body, it is deeply damaging
to the whole. We can gain great insights by simply
observing our own body language.

Jesus came to earth in human form. He taught many
wonderful spiritual truths, but we frequently forget
what he modeled for us. Our bodies have a vocabulary,
which can help or hinder our spiritual wellness. We
are embodied creatures just like Jesus. He laughed
and cried, rested and played, worked and slept. He
still lives among us today, showing us the fullness
of God's grace and truth.


God, thank you for my body. Show me how my body
vocabulary helps or hinders my prayer life. Amen.

Grace and peace,

Chi Rho Press

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