Many thoughts surfaced in mid-April when I stood before a coffin and gazed upon the body
of 93-year-old Sr. Rita Mary. In the past year she had designed and sewn over 1,000 masks
to safeguard others from Covid-19. I wondered how many lives she may have saved due to
this compassionate act. I looked at her lifeless body and thought, “This body is useless now.
Like the rest of us, she was probably concerned about her haircut, the developing wrinkles
and facial blemishes, her weight, and other judgments we foist upon ourselves due to a
culture that falsely insists these things are vital for social acceptance.”

Attention to the body can be helpful if we focus on its true worth. Our physical well-being
influences our spiritual well-being by assisting us to be the best of who we are. Rita Mary’s
brain, eyes, and hands allowed her to be kind, to love others as she loved herself. It’s “the
why, how much, and the what” of paying attention to our body that makes the difference.

In past Christian theology, the body was often described as an obstacle to spiritual growth.
Church writers urged the laity to treat the physical self as a mule, or worse, as evil—to
despise and deliberately punish one’s body. In the present era, a much healthier view of our
physical self is encouraged. We are to value and look upon our body as a temple of the Holy
Spirit, a sacred vessel that enables us to be loving human beings.

Balance is the key. Much energy can be spent on physical concerns while the inner life of
the soul remains neglected. In my twenties I heard a talk by the Franciscan sister, Jose
Hobday. At one point, she asked us to write down how much time each day we spent eating.
Then we were to record the amount of time we gave to prayer and ways that nourish our
spirit. Finally, she instructed us to compare the two and notice if the body or the spirit
claimed more of our attention. That was quite an awakening for me. Since then, I have tried
to care for my physical and spiritual self with as much equality as I am able.

As I walked away from the coffin, I thought of one more thing. Earlier that morning I had
read a passage from The Essential Mystic that the editor, Andrew Harvey, had included. It’s
from the Hindu tradition and Harvey explained that, for Hindus, “Brahman” is considered
to be the Eternal Essence or Eternal Being. Here is the text that spoke to me:

In the city of Brahman is a secret dwelling, the lotus of the heart. … As great as the infinite
space beyond is the space within the lotus of the heart. … Never fear that old age will invade
that city; never fear that this inner treasure of all reality will wither and decay. This knows no
age when the body ages; this knows no dying when the body dies. This is the real city of
Brahman; this is the Self, free from old age, from death and grief, hunger and thirst.

Jesus taught something similar: “The kingdom of God is within you.” What lasts forever has
a home inside the finite container of the physical self, a companion assisting the soul’s
goodness. Sr. Rita Mary would have been surprised at what her inert body evoked, how
even in death this former teacher and principal was imparting worthy knowledge.

Abundant peace,
Joyce Rupp