always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. (2 Cor 4:10)

Standing up for those in need, for integrity, for truth, can be a hazardous business. We have seen this in people such as Oscar Romero and Dorothy Day. In smaller ways in our own lives we know that there can be a physical, emotional and psychological cost for being true to our faith. Also, it is more than what I endure, the body also refers to the Christian and Catholic community. ’The life of Jesus’ is one of faith, hope, healing compassion and love. Such a life builds community.

This is not easy to live. There are strong societal forces that emphasise the individual as well as personal freedom. Freedom like happiness can be misconstrued. Those societal forces can define freedom in terms of being free to consume. Rather ’the life of Jesus’ promotes community and happiness for the individual as they contribute to ’something bigger than themselves’.

Have a great week!
Patrick