Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Father Oscar Alunday SVD
Friday 31st Week in Ordinary Time
In one Bibliodrama workshop, the Look-Listen-Love method of Gospel sharing was used. In the Looking part of the sharing, the group identified Health and Body Care as one of their main concerns.
In the Listening part, they reflected on how much care and attention we give to the body: haircuts, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizers, manicures and pedicures, facial and body treatments, lotions, make-up, shaving creams, deodorants, perfumes, and oils. Then there are body accessories: earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, dental braces, tattoos, implants, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and many others. We also have different kinds of clothing and other things to protect, cover, and decorate the body. What an endless list of things related to caring for and enhancing the body!
Challenging and interesting! Or perhaps even frustrating!
As they continued Listening to one another, however, the members of the group also tried to listen more deeply to God:
What is God telling us through this long list of bodily needs and accessories? What are the things that I really need in life? What kind of care does my body truly need in order to remain healthy? Is it wrong to care for my appearance? Since my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19), should I not give it proper care? But does caring for the body become a form of body worship when I spend too much time and money on it?
The first reading (Philippians 3:17–4:1) gives greater urgency to the questions raised by the Gospel-sharing group. Saint Paul warns against those whose “minds are occupied with earthly things” and reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:19-20).
The Gospel, meanwhile, challenges us to examine how we manage what has been entrusted to us. The steward was reported to his master for “squandering his property” and was consequently asked to give an account of his stewardship (Luke 16:1-2). His concern eventually became his own security and future. The parable therefore leads us to examine our own priorities and our use of the gifts and responsibilities entrusted to us. As Jesus later reminds us, “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones” (Luke 16:10).
And so, in the Loving part of our reflection, we may ask ourselves:
In my present situation, what are the essential things to which I need to respond? How do I manage the responsibilities entrusted to me? How much time do I give to listening to God? What responsible and loving action can I offer in response to the challenges of my ministry?
In the end, our challenge is not simply to care for ourselves, but to become faithful stewards of everything God has entrusted to us, remembering that while our earthly needs have their proper place, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).
