by Andrew Consiglio, Leader and Director of Youth Fellowship
We know they are everywhere – the internet, TV, adverts and so on. It is a multi-million euro business.
- 10 Eating Habits of the Highly Successful and Fit
- 9 Ways who to eat clean
- Top Five Diet Trends to Watch for 2016
- The Gut-Be-Gone Programme
The truth is that we are what we eat! There is absolutely nothing wrong with physical fitness. But note what the Word of God tells
train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promises for both the present life and the life to come.
1 Tim. 4:7-8
In other words: take the time and the trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. Just as the body needs the proper daily nourishment of food and exercise, spiritual fitness requires the proper daily nourishment of spiritual food.
Why? The overarching aim of our existence is to know God’s love for us, to love God, to be in communion with Him and to save our souls.
So throughout the Christian journey we are to avoid ‘the bad food’ which impoverish us spiritually and eat the ‘good food’ which strengthen us in our relationship with God.
Note that this miracle is very important because it is one of the only ones recorded in the 4 gospels. It happen in a ‘deserted place’ which today has been identified as Tabgha by the Sea of Galilee. In the desert we realise that we cannot provide for ourselves – all is gift. From this passage we can draw out the following:
5 Ways to Keep a Healthy Spiritual Diet
- Feed on the Word
- Practise daily Prayer
- Find way to Serve
- Live Unity in Community
- Participate in the Eucharist
1. FEED ON THE WORD
When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured. (Luke 9:11)
“It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ Matthew 4:4
If the Bible presents the word of God it must express the will of God. We need to find out how to use it and read good books, articles and commentaries which open it up for you!
2. PRACTISE DAILY PRAYER
The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him (Luke 9:12)
In its simplest definition prayer is to go to Him.
Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part CCC 2725
Prayer means going to meet Gods promises found in His Word – and and to learn how to trust and obey Him ! Decide therefore to pray every day.
3. FIND WAYS TO SERVE
You give them something to eat (Luke 9:13)
Jesus wants us to know that we can handle situations beyond our own resources and actively participate in reaching out to others by allowing Him to work through us. He asks us to give what we do have. He doesn’t provide the loaves and fish out of thin air, but multiplies what we give. Little becomes much in His hands. Ask Him to bless others through you.
4. LIVE UNITY IN COMMUNITY
“Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Luke 9:14
It was itself a miracle to get 5,000 hungry people to sit down. However they probably encouraged each other to do so. God loves us as individuals but we journey together as His people, called the Church.
The Christian community is a family where we meet to pray and encourage each other in our journey.
5. PARTICIPATE OFTEN IN EUCHARIST
and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. Luke 9:16,17
He took, He blessed, He broke, He gave – this is what Jesus did at the Last Supper, this is what the priest does in every Mass. A sacrament is a privileged encounter with God Himself. In addition to physical hunger man carries within himself another hunger, a hunger that can not be satisfied with ordinary food. A hunger for life, hungry for love, hungry for eternity. In the Eucharist the Lord satisfies our hunger; in fact we read ‘they all ate and were satisfied’
In the Eucharist, we commune in the love of God for us: a love so great that feeds us with Himself; selfless love, always available to every hungry person in need … Some are fed with money, others with success and vanity, others with power and pride. But the food that nourishes us and that really satisfies us is only what the Lord gives us! Pope Francis
CONCLUSION
It is impossible to become physically fit by merely reading a book about exercise or listening to excellent advice from a fitness expert. We have to put in into practise, eat the right food and avoid unhealthy eating. This is also very true of our life as disciples of the Lord.