Imago Dei

Your body is good. It is beautiful. It is worthy of fresh air, sunshine, nutrition, and exercise. .

But it isn’t good *because* of any of those things. .

Your body is good because you were made in the image and likeness of God the Father, Creator of the Universe.

Your body is good because Jesus Christ became man, like us in all ways except sin, further sanctifying the human form. He comes to us, again and again in His very body, the Holy Eucharist. .

Your body is good because through your baptism you were made a temple of the Holy Spirit. .

Your body is good no matter what it looks like or how broken it is, because God loves you no matter what your body looks like and regardless of how broken you are. .

Most of our culture will tell you that your body is good *if* you do all the “right” things (diets, excessive exercise, etc). Another part of our culture will tell you that you are good *if* you let it all hang out and who cares who’s looking. (Hard truth: these are two sides of the idol worship coin.) .

I’m here to tell you that your body has an inherent dignity that you cannot take away, dignity that is independent of anything you *do.* It is good because it belongs to God, and He is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. .

He wants you to see yourself the way He does:

Wholly imperfect
Utterly precious
Indescribably beautiful

Love your body because of Who made it. Love it because you love Him and want to show gratitude to Him. Love it because He loved it into existence and will renew it when He comes again. .

P.S. Do we all struggle with vice and could we all stand to grow in virtue? .

Yes. .

But the first among the theological virtues is charity, or love, because this virtue alone will follow us to Heaven. .

Love your body because love is the first step in growing in the other virtues. .

If you wait to love yourself until you have overcome your imperfections, you have missed the point of love. .