Pauline Reflections 11 - 15th November 2008

MEMBERS OF CHRIST'S BODY

“Do you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take Christ’s members and make them members of a prostitute? Of course not! Do you know that anyone who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For ‘the two’ it says ‘will be one flesh’.” 1 Corinthians 6:15-17 

Paul in these verses speaks metaphorically about sexual immorality asking rhetorical questions. He considers the Christian community as making up the body of Christ in which each member is called to be holy by virtue of baptism. Each member has a unique link and bonding with Christ, the one foundation of the Church. 

The implication of this bond means that our physical bodies are no longer our own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We are members of his body, so, in a figurative sense, all we do has some consequence on the body of Christ. Since we love him and truly seek him, we attempt to avoid all sins of sexual immorality. 

The reference to a prostitute could refer to cultic prostitution, which was practised by the pagan cultures characteristic of Corinth at that time. To Paul, the idea of a prostitute is also a symbol of infidelity in reference to Christ’s claim over us and our relationship with him. Paul refers to Genesis 2:24 - ‘the two will become one flesh’ in the context of the marriage covenant. Sex consummates the act of the covenant of marriage, implying that sex outside marriage is sinful and Paul warns that we should avoid every act of sexual immorality. 

Today, many Christian marriages are under pressures and challenges, including the temptation to infidelity, which in turn lead to a high rate of divorce and separation. We pray for Christian couples all over the world, for the grace to remain faithful in their marriage. May we all receive inspiration from Paul to avoid immorality, realising that our bodies are sacred and should be respected in every possible way.
 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, bless all married couples, grant them the grace to remain faithful in marriage. And for the unmarried, we pray that we may not abuse our sexuality but truly understand that we are united with you always, even in our struggles. Amen.