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Balancing the Temporal and the Eternal: St. Augustine's Wisdom for Catholic Living
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"Take Care of Your Body as If You Were Going to Live Forever; and Take Care of Your Soul as If You Were Going to Die Tomorrow" – St. Augstine
St. Augustine, one of the most influential theologians in the history of the Church, provides a profound insight with his quote: "Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever; and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow." This dual call to action serves as a powerful reminder to Catholics of the delicate balance between the temporal and the eternal, the physical and the spiritual.
The Body: A Temple of the Holy Spirit
Catholic teaching affirms that our bodies are not just physical vessels but temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Caring for our bodies, therefore, is not merely about health and longevity; it is a form of stewardship and reverence for the gift of life that God has given us.
St. Augustine's advice to care for our bodies "as if you were going to live forever" invites us to approach our physical well-being with the respect and diligence it deserves.
This means embracing a lifestyle that honors the body through healthy eating, regular exercise, and adequate rest. It also means avoiding practices that harm the body, recognizing that such actions not only disrespect the physical self but also the God who created us. By treating our bodies with care, we acknowledge their value and the role they play in our spiritual journey.
The Soul: Preparing for Eternity
On the other hand, Augustine's exhortation to care for our souls "as if you were going to die tomorrow" highlights the urgency and primacy of spiritual readiness. Our souls are eternal, and our earthly lives are but a brief prelude to the eternity that awaits. In the Catholic tradition, this perspective calls us to live each day in a state of grace, ready to meet our Creator at any moment.
Caring for our souls involves cultivating a deep and personal relationship with God through prayer, the sacraments, and acts of charity. It means regularly examining our consciences and seeking the sacrament of reconciliation to cleanse our souls of sin. It also involves living in accordance with the teachings of Christ, striving to love God and our neighbors as ourselves.
Balancing the Temporal and the Eternal
The wisdom in Augustine's words lies in the balance they advocate. While we should not neglect the care of our bodies, we must always prioritize the care of our souls. Our bodies will one day return to dust, but our souls are destined for eternity. Yet, the two are intertwined; a healthy body can aid in spiritual growth, just as a well-nurtured soul can inspire us to take better care of our bodies.
For Catholics, this quote is a call to integrate our spiritual and physical lives, recognizing that both are gifts from God and should be treated with reverence. It encourages us to live with an awareness of our mortality, while also cherishing the life we have been given. By doing so, we can lead lives that are not only healthier and more fulfilling but also more aligned with our ultimate purpose: to know, love, and serve God in this life, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.
Living Augustine's Wisdom
In our daily lives, we can live out Augustine's wisdom by making small, intentional choices. We might begin each day with prayer and reflection, asking God for the grace to care for our bodies and souls. We can make conscious decisions about what we eat, how we exercise, and how we rest, seeing these actions as part of our spiritual life. We can also commit to regular participation in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation, to nourish and cleanse our souls.
By doing so, we respond to Augustine's call to live in the tension between the now and the not-yet, between the temporal and the eternal. We take care of our bodies, knowing that they are sacred, and we care for our souls, knowing that they are our path to eternal life. In this way, we can live fully, embracing the gift of life in all its dimensions and preparing for the life to come.
"Take Care of Your Body as If You Were Going to Live Forever; and Take Care of Your Soul as If You Were Going to Die Tomorrow" – St. Augstine
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About the Author
An industrious entrepreneur, a devoted Catholic homeschooling mother to ten children (five saints) resides on the serene Gulf coast of Mississippi. Accompanied by her Engineering husband and a faithful lazy corgi, she experienced a transformative "wellness conversion" at the close of 2016.
Driven by a passionate desire to inspire fellow women, she aims to spearhead a movement that unites wellness with holiness. Her mission is to enlighten women about the profound connection between wellness and holiness, urging them to recognize that embracing wellness is, in fact, a path to embracing holiness.
Her ultimate goal is to empower women to live out God's individual calling in their lives through this holistic approach with the establishment Trinity Wellness Foundation, a nonprofit that aids the Church in closing the gap between the wellness of the body, mind, and soul with life-changing Women Wellness Workshops.
