7.26.23 - 1 Corinthians 3:2
Imagine a world where individuals perceive every activity – eating, dancing, playing, having sex, laughing, crying, and resting – as part of their spiritual journey.
1 Corinthians 3:2
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
By making a sharp distinction between the “mature” spiritual self and the “childish” fleshly self, Paul created a monster.
From that moment on, “fleshly” behaviors have been seen as un-spiritual as if our bodies were separate from our spirits, and - more importantly - from God. Thus, we have learned to hate our bodies and what they do: eat, dance, play, have sex, laugh, cry, rest… We have learned that those activities are not part of our spiritual life and the truth is that, they are.
Many non-Western cultures see the flesh and the spirit as one. What we do with our bodies can draw us closer or move us farther from the Divine.
And I can’t help but wonder how different our lives be if we saw every activity as part of our spiritual life: the food we eat, the words we say, the sex we have, the clothes we wear…
Take some time to imagine a world where individuals perceive every activity as part of their spiritual journey. How might this perception alter our experiences of these activities? In turn, how might this influence societal norms and values around these activities?
--Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava