St. Paul writes “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the lord becomes one Spirit with him. …Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price.”
In reading this reading before mass started my mind went to Kenny Chesney’s song lyric “you’re body’s a temple that’s what we’re told, but I’ve treated this one like an old honkytonk”. But that was in a way helpful, because it set me on to thinking of how people pull verses from the Bible and use those as inspiration in songs. So I started to look for what else people may pull from this chapter — what struck me wasn’t so much a song lyric, but how someone may react to this line:
You have been purchased at a price.
A rebellious person would hate that line. What if I don’t want to be purchased? You can’t own me!
But there in lies the beauty of God’s love and belonging to Jesus!
You do not belong to yourself. If you think you do, you are mistaken. You belong to God. That is nothing to fear or dread. Perhaps it would be if God wanted slaves. But God does not want slaves! God wants sons and daughters.
We are God’s adopted sons and daughters. We belong to Him, but He doesn’t own us like a master would a slave – Instead He calls us into relationship with Him.
And the price at which you were purchased was not some dollar amount, but rather you were purchased by Jesus’s sacrifice – once for all. Isn’t it beautiful that God sent His only begotten Son to be made as payment for you?
God longs for you to recognize that payment has made for you thru his Son Jesus. Even if you don’t think you want it. Even if you think you don’t deserve it. Even if you think you are your own – “you are not your own”. Be grateful for and thank God for that!
So do as St. Paul says – Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Do not sin against the body. …“For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.”
Give God Your Yes 