In a time when substance abuse and various addictions enslave so many in our community, we do well to recall the words of St. Paul: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We must treat our bodies with respect, a sign that we accept and love the gift of our life that God has given us and saved through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. Establishing such a theological backdrop enables us to then explore practical ways of preventing, or dealing with, substance abuse issues as they arise.
Jesus came to save us, body and soul. That is a point worth repeating, because we tend to over spiritualize our faith. Jesus came to save us, body and soul. Jesus says in the Gospel of John: I came that they may have life, and have it to the full (10:10). We human beings are a body-spirit unity. What affects the body affects the soul; what affects the soul affects the body. God, in the Person of Jesus, meets us where we are and lifts us up to Himself. Our bodies are good; they are the conduits of God’s grace. To put it in the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, “grace builds on nature.”
Here at St. Aidan’s, we seek to share the faith with you AND offer tools for putting it into practice. Being a Christian is a way of life, not an optional extra we discard at will. Our faith is supposed to inform all of our choices in life because it is in this life and through this body that each of us is called and gifted by God to turn to Him and find salvation.
It was with this theological backdrop that we welcomed Karen Bonanno of the Livonia Save Our Youth Coalition to speak on Sunday, May 19th with the parents enrolled in our family formation program. Our 7th & 8th graders were also present. The Coalition educates and empowers us regarding the health and safety of our young people. Karen eloquently did this by talking about the vital role of a parent’s love, experience and responsibilities in the formation of their children. Karen also helped the middle schoolers present to see that they can trust their parents, and have a responsibility for their own safety and wellbeing. Also discussed was vaping, gateway drugs, addiction, and the opioid epidemic. For resources and help, visit: livoniasaveouryouth.org.
Glorify God in your body!
David J. Conrad
Jesus came to save us, body and soul. That is a point worth repeating, because we tend to over spiritualize our faith. Jesus came to save us, body and soul. Jesus says in the Gospel of John: I came that they may have life, and have it to the full (10:10). We human beings are a body-spirit unity. What affects the body affects the soul; what affects the soul affects the body. God, in the Person of Jesus, meets us where we are and lifts us up to Himself. Our bodies are good; they are the conduits of God’s grace. To put it in the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, “grace builds on nature.”
Here at St. Aidan’s, we seek to share the faith with you AND offer tools for putting it into practice. Being a Christian is a way of life, not an optional extra we discard at will. Our faith is supposed to inform all of our choices in life because it is in this life and through this body that each of us is called and gifted by God to turn to Him and find salvation.
It was with this theological backdrop that we welcomed Karen Bonanno of the Livonia Save Our Youth Coalition to speak on Sunday, May 19th with the parents enrolled in our family formation program. Our 7th & 8th graders were also present. The Coalition educates and empowers us regarding the health and safety of our young people. Karen eloquently did this by talking about the vital role of a parent’s love, experience and responsibilities in the formation of their children. Karen also helped the middle schoolers present to see that they can trust their parents, and have a responsibility for their own safety and wellbeing. Also discussed was vaping, gateway drugs, addiction, and the opioid epidemic. For resources and help, visit: livoniasaveouryouth.org.
Glorify God in your body!
David J. Conrad
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