October 19, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am sure that you have heard it said that your physical health is everything. It is hard to argue with that statement, especially experiencing how people will go to extreme measures to assure that their health is secure. Individuals will exercise by biking, swimming, or walking, going the extra mile (no pun intended) to stay healthy. They will even pay for a trainer to keep them accountable to a regiment. Individuals will diet, and we know that billions of dollars are expended every year on a variety of diet programs, and always new promising ones coming out. Some of my friends seem to embrace a new diet approach every month as their personal will power seems to wane and discouragement emerges over the lack of an expected response. Then there are the vitamins, thank God that we learned our alphabets in school, how would we ever keep straight the B-12s and B Complex and Ds and D-3 not to mention Cs and Es. There are also multi vitamins and supplements all needed to ensure that our bodies remain balanced.
Of course, this being the fall season, we seek our flu shots. Our bodies in some sense must feel like a pincushion, with the vaccinations of the two Covid shots and the boosters. We do this to avoid contracting an illness. Often what reinforces our need for checkups and visits to the doctor’s office is seeing some of our relatives and friends struggle with a disease or severe medical condition.
As a priest/bishop I have experienced courageous responses from those who are face to face with life-threatening conditions. Their families and friends by their side offering support. Their struggles are often a sign of the importance of life.
There is no doubt that physical health is extremely important, but as people of faith, we must remind ourselves that our spiritual health is equally, if not more important. Cardinal Joseph Bernardin authored a work while he struggled with his battle with cancer. He reminded his readers reflecting on his own personal experience, that they should pray while they are healthy because it is so difficult when one is sick. That’s why we should take the lead from our desire to maintain our health and do what is necessary to be physically healthy. Our spiritual health demands the same attention. Are we exercising our spiritual relationship with God? Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation? The most important activity, as human beings, is to worship God. Are we ingesting our spiritual vitamins by praying daily, saying the rosary, spending time in adoration? Do we seek to incorporate a discipline, intentionally offering our good works or acts of mortification for the good of the Church, family, and friends? Lastly, are we taking the necessary vaccinations against viruses (sins) that can damage our spiritual souls? In other words, when is the last time that you made a good confession? We forget that the sacrament of reconciliation is grace giving, and frequent confession is the best reminder of the attention needed to our spiritual life.
Everything we do for our health will only give us an earthly sense of wellbeing, but it will not prevent the inevitable and that is death. Saint Matthew 6: 19-20 tells us: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Whatever we do to strengthen our spiritual health will place us on a path to life eternal. This is the promise of Jesus, and he is incapable of deceiving. He loves us and directs us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
