A reflection on 2 John 4–9 for Friday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time.
John warns about people who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This might sound like a dispute best left to theologians. But if Jesus only appeared to be human, then his hunger was a performance. So was his exhaustion. The suffering of the cross becomes something he watched from a safe distance. That would be a very different faith for us.
The Jesus we meet in the Gospels needs food and sleep. He accepts hospitality. He touches people whom others avoid touching. When his friend dies, he weeps. God has entered the physical parts of our lives, including the more personal ones I would sometimes prefer to not think about.
There can be a curious impatience with bodies in our faith lives. We admire the woman who keeps going despite exhaustion. We can speak about sacrifice and not notice whether a person has eaten or needs to sit down. I do this myself.
As I get older, I am less persuaded that needing rest indicates a defect of character. But I still can pray as though my body were an inconvenient companion, distracting me with a sore knee or hunger for lunch. The Incarnation gives me reason to be kinder with that companion. God considered human flesh worthy of his presence.
That makes me think of more than my own comfort. Someone who needs accessible seating belongs fully at Mass. A caregiver needs practical relief. A hungry person needs food even if it doesn’t result in spiritual conversation. We should care for those needs because we take seriously the humanity Christ shares with us.
And the Resurrection does not leave his body behind. Christian hope includes the redemption of our bodies. Oh happy day! The body through which I have loved people, worked, prayed, and occasionally complained is held within God’s promise too. I can care for it and for other people’s bodies with gratitude.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you shared our hunger, weariness, and pain. Help me respect the body you have given me and respond tenderly to the physical needs of others. Teach me to receive rest and offer practical care with love. Amen.
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