Wednesday, October 15, 2014

This is My Body


At counseling today, my counselor and I spoke at length about loving my body, no matter its size or weight, particularly because God loves me just as much now as He would if I were a size 2. I have long struggled with this – although I, of course, understand that God’s love is not dependent on my weight, believing that to the core is another matter.

I went to adoration after my session, as I often do, to sort out everything with the Lord, and as I gazed up at the Lord, thinking about everything that had been discussed, and about how to love my body now – not “someday” when I have reached a size and weight to my liking – it was as if He said to me:

“This is My Body”

Only He was referring to me – to my body.

I immediately understood the implication: “Aly, you are part of My Body, and your body is My Body. Therefore, love your body, and in so doing, love Me, and treat your body as you would if it were Mine, for so it is!”

The meaning here was double – not only is my body Christ’s Body, since I am a member of the Body of Christ, the Church, but my body also belongs to Christ – it is His body.



Christ loves His Body, the Church, despite its flaws. Even though it contains sinners – perhaps even especially because of the sinners – He loves it. Similarly, when we love our bodies because of their flaws (excess weight/fat, in particular, but also other physical flaws), then we can treat it as Christ treats the Church – as an object of love. If a person is in sin, Christ does not reject her and send her towards more of the same sin. No! He loves her and brings her to that which will heal her. In the case of excess body fat/weight, we must follow Christ’s example, and love our bodies all the more because of this, and inspired by that love, give our bodies that which will heal them.

A sinner needs more grace than a righteous person – more love, more of the sacraments, more prayer, etc. – in order to overcome her sin. Likewise, a person who is unhealthy in body needs more of the best foods and nutrients in order to achieve health. Why, then, do we treat our bodies without love because of these flaws? A body that is unhealthy due to poor and/or excessive eating needs healthy, nutritious foods in order to heal – not more of the same unhealthy/excessive foods and habits that keep it unhealthy. It is an act of love to give our bodies what they need to be healthy, but often because unhealthy habits have caused our bodies to be in a form or size that we hate, we continue to treat our bodies without the love they deserve.



“You are Christ’s Body” of which He says, “this is My Body.” Therefore, treat your body as you would treat the Body of Christ  - with love, reverence, respect, and honor.

Forsaking your body because its flaws, whatever they may be, is like forsaking Christ Himself and is, at the very least, a disrespect of a gift from God – that gift being His Holy Temple, your body!

If you came upon a beautiful cathedral that was cracking and falling apart with age, would you dismiss it as ugly and imperfect, decide that you no longer love its beauty, or perhaps take a sledge hammer to it to increase its flaws? Certainly not! More likely, assuming you had the means to do so, you would seek to repair and rebuild it – restoring the fullness of its beauty.

It is important to note that its beauty was not completely lost, only obscured to the naked eye by its flaws. Similarly, your bodily flaws do not diminish your beauty, but rather, invite restoration! This restoration can be found in a healthy lifestyle, but is ultimately offered to us by Christ, who restores both body and soul.


So love your body, love your soul, and act accordingly.