Bodies

Amy Oden

Church of the Resurrection Insights Blog

John 1: 14 14

The Word became flesh

and made his home among us.

We have seen his glory,

glory like that of a father’s only son,

full of grace and truth.

The Word became flesh. (v. 14) This has been a year of enfleshment. A year that has forced us to pay attention to our bodies. No longer can we treat them like mere pack-mules for our heads. It takes a global pandemic for us to begin to cherish our bodies.

In a pandemic, I have to take my body seriously, treat it gently and be fierce in its care. In a pandemic, I have to take others’ bodies seriously, treat them gently and be fierce in protecting them. As racial violence breaks bodies, chokes breath, I have to take bodies seriously, cherish them as holy.

There is no higher endorsement of the human body than the Incarnation itself, the Word become flesh, Emmanuel, God-with-us. God takes bodies seriously. So much so that the Word became flesh, God became body, to bless bodies, consecrate bodies, show us that bodies matter. God blesses the human body.

May we recognize the blessing of our bodies, cherish our bodies and hold all bodies holy.