11th Sunday - Respect the Body

 

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.”

Every person God creates has a mission. Jeremiah states, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God’s plan for each person is to help bring about His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven, which is what we pray in the Lord’s prayer.

To most, it seems as though our role in God’s plan is small. But, Jesus uses the example of a “mustard seed, one of the smallest of all seeds, to show that the seed actually produces the largest of plants, and puts forth branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade”.

We go about our ordinary daily life. We get up, take the kids to school and activities. We go to work. We keep our home clean and in order. On Sunday, we go to church. This can seem monotonous day in and day out. But, we don’t realize how important, these things are. It’s important to raise children to become adults. We teach them to write, manners, morals, to love others and to forgive. We help them to pray and do their best at sports or academics. We build up God’s kingdom by raising our children to be virtuous and bring about God’s kingdom by their lives.

For those who are retired, you build up God’s kingdom by being faithful to your ordinary daily duties, through your prayers, your time in Adoration, your example and advice you give due your wisdom from age.

The work we do on the farm benefits others. There is a billboard that states, “One Kansas farmer can feed 155 people, plus you.” Feeding livestock, plowing the field and farm work accomplishes more than what we expect.

God’s kingdom grows by the good we do for others, especially for those in our own family and community.

Jesus said we will be judged on works of mercy. “When I was hungry, you gave me food, when I was thirsty, you gave me drink. When ill, you visited me…” There are also spiritual works of mercy: instructing the ignorant, forgiving offenses, counseling, the doubtful, praying for the living and the dead etc.. We use our body in our own home to do good and bring about God’s kingdom.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.”

I will now go over bad things we do in our body, that can hinder building up of God’s kingdom.

St. Paul helps us to understand our body, he said, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” If we fail to treat our body with respect, we fail to honor God in our body.

There can be serious consequences to not respecting our body. For example, tattoos. Did you know the book of Leviticus specifically forbids tattoos. Ink, is a foreign substance injected into the body. A new study indicates tattoos cause a greater chance of developing lymphatic cancer.

Being overweight can cause diabetes. Under eating, called anorexia, deprives the body of food it needs.

Getting drunk can destroy the liver and cause improper reasoning and we can make bad choices. Drunks can become vicious, belligerent, abusive, and fail to take care of others and themselves. To purposefully get drunk is seriously sinful.

Smoking cigarettes harms lungs. My uncle, who was 48, my brother-in-law, who was 57, and my father, who was 72, all died from lung cancer, most likely due to smoking. Marijuana causes the inability to reason properly. In every state, one can be arrested driving while high. To smoke marijuana can be seriously sinful.

Fr. Carlo Martins, an exorcist said, “Yoga, should not be practiced. Because by definition, the bodily positions of yoga are an act of worship of Hindu gods. Yoga is a practice to channel the energy of the Kundalini spirit. If you want to do stretches, do stretches, that have nothing to do with yoga or it’s postures.” He also said, “Inanimate objects like crystals don’t give energy. It’s a superstition.” It offends God.

Today, young people can misuse smart phones to do things contrary to the Christian faith, such as the Ouija board, or games with characters who do curses or magic. Children need to know all magic is evil. There is no such thing as good magic, because all magic is superstitious.

It’s wrong to use our body for superstitious purposes. These kind of games become channels evil spirits can enter the home and cause problems in the family.

We also can’t use our body or the bodies of others for sinful purposes either, such as premarital relations, impure actions, or viewing pornography. All are serious sins.

Phones, i-pads, computers are portals to view bodies of others as objects of pleasure. Pornography is rampant. In a 2016, study, The Porn Phenomenon: The Impact of Pornography in the Digital Age. It states 88% of teens (youth 13-17) have a phone and 82% of teens sleep with their phones in their bedroom.

The average age a child first sees pornography is 11. By the age of 14, 94% of children have seen pornography. About 70% of men and 20% of women view pornography at least once a week, and almost 90% percent of men view pornography once a month. Your children’s friends may show them pornography on their friend’s phone. We need to teach them how to respond- by saying no and tell you it happened.

Through texting, predator adults, pretend to be youth. Chat rooms are dangerous. They can text a child and ask the child to send inappropriate photos of themselves and then the predator threaten the child to show the image to others unless he does what is asked. This is one way child trafficking begins. The use of “spoof” (false numbers) makes it difficult, for police to track them.

If children aren’t protected, viewing porn can become an addiction they can carry into adulthood. 80% of children say their parents never discussed pornography with them. Bishop Kemme said, “When parents and guardians haven’t created an environment where it’s safe and welcome to talk about uncomfortable topics, children will often hide these experiences out of shame and embarrassment.”

My dear parents: As a suggestion, when you first discover your child viewed pornography, don’t punish them, because you failed to discuss it with them. First, sit-down with your kids and talk about pornography. Don’t accuse them or interrogate them, no. Remember, it seeks them out, and it seeks them out through devices that you probably gave them. Sit down, talk, and look for a path forward. Second, give rules. No cell phones, no computers ever in their bedrooms. Always in public view. Third. Make a specific time every night cell phones are given to parents. Fourth. Install parental controls on your children’s devices such as limiting screen time, block inappropriate websites, and use websites such as www.covenanteyes.com. Fifth, require specific spaces without tech devices, such as when eating together, or at Mass, phones can’t be used after 10pm etc… Sixth, Don’t give children unfettered access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

With regard to women, their body is sacred and should be veiled. The body of a woman is beautiful. As the psalm states, “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord God almighty.” Immodesty can cause men to lust. Both women and men can sin this way. Men for not keeping custody of his eyes and women for tempting men.

Another thing to consider is when we see people with their hair dyed green, purple, red, or if their lips, are pierced, don’t judge them. We should open our heart to try to understand, that there is a reason why they don’t love themselves. But this type of behavior is harmful to how one self views their body.

Tops showing cleavage, tight clothing, shorts, or skirts above the knee are all inappropriate especially at Mass or Eucharistic adoration or when just walking into church. Why? Because in the Tabernacle is Jesus Christ, the King of heaven and earth. This is God’s house. The church is a sacred place. This is a holy place. Please don’t wear shorts to Mass, nor at Adoration or anytime at church. Its disrespectful to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

When we look at a Crucifix, we see evil done to the sacred body of Jesus by our sins: He was stripped of His clothes except underwear, crowned with thorns and nailed to the Cross. The shame of it all! Today, we think nothing of seeing a man who wears only shorts. It’s immodest. Where is the shame?

In the resurrected and glorified body of Jesus, we see what are bodies are meant to be in the future. After the resurrection, when John touched Jesus, he cried out, “My Lord and my God.” He recognized His body, as the body of God.

His resurrected body, truly present in the Eucharist and moves us to respect and give reverence to Jesus, as King and God. Jesus’ body conquered evil, and it showed the depths of His love. And now He gives us His resurrected Body to eat, that we may have life.

If we are to fulfill our role in bringing about the kingdom of God, we are to use our body for good and not evil. First, we give the greatest reverence and respect to the Body of Christ, in the Eucharist. Then we need to respect and give reverence to our own body, and then, give respect and reverence to the bodies of others. Because God dwells in you, your body is sacred. Your body is holy. Your body is a temple of the Lord. Jesus body is most sacred. Jesus body is most holy. Because Jesus body is God’s body. That’s why bow, genuflect, kneel or prostrate before the body of Christ.

The Virgin Mary gives women an example of modesty. Men and women can turn to Her to help them grow in purity. She is the Virgin Most Pure. St. Joseph was the guardian of the Virgin Most Pure and protector of the Holy Family. He can help men be protectors of the family, and an example of a good father and husband. St. Joseph, as the terror of demons, will help fathers to protect their families from evil.

On Father’s Day weekend, I would like to address fathers. You are the spiritual leaders and protectors of the family. It is your duty to protect your family from evil and help them to get to heaven. Your children look to you as an example. They look to you for protection, for advice, and encouragement.
In the bulletin are resources for you to help discuss pornography with your children. There are free books given away per family. Also in the bulletin are web addresses for Covenant Eyes, to help block images & detect activity viewed on your children’s phones.

There is a link to Detox from Porn, by Jason Evert. I encourage parents to watch the video with your child, perhaps from eight grade on up. It’s a fantastic video!

In the bulletin are also inexpensive phone companies that do not require a contract.

If you know someone who may have an addiction to pornography, there are resources in the bulletin too.

Men, if you know of a friend or co-worker who you know who has a problem with pornography, watch the video of Jason Evert, read the information in the bulletin, so you can help them.

My friends, turn to Mary and Joseph, who will help you fulfill your role in bringing about God’s kingdom, and be ready for the hour of our death. May we give respect and reverence to God in our body and the bodies of others, because they are sacred temples, where God dwells.“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.”