The torso of Christ,

taken at the Cloisters in NYC

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One thought I’ll share with you before we head into the weekend is the idea that there’s something fundamentally human about having a body.

To become like us, Christ had to assume a body.

This continues to support the idea that our bodies are good, as Christ assumed a body not only willingly but also as an act of love. He does not disdain what we are but rather moves toward — and even becomes — what we are as fully as he possibly can. So much of this had to do with his assuming a human body.

I’m also intrigued by this idea of there being something fundamentally human about having a body because of what I do. I work in the area of spiritual formation. This means I help people grow in their process of spiritual maturity, and this has to do with becoming more fully who we actually are.

It’s a question, ultimately, about being our true human selves.

I’m learning that our bodies are a part of that. Having a body means something to the human experience and something to what it means to be human.

What do you think of this idea that being human is, at least in part, about having a human body?