A Septuagesima Sunday Thought about Getting in Shape to Kick Off the New Week
Last Sunday we talked about "Brother Ass," the name St. Francis of Assisi gave to his body. We saw how, if we kicked Brother Ass into gear with healthy eating and sound exercise, he'd return the favor and give us a good swift kick to get our work week started right. This week, in the traditional calendar of Holy Mother Church, we find ourselves looking forward to Lent: It's Septuagesima Sunday. We are, in a sense, getting in shape for Lent.
Getting in shape for serious penance takes some doing - at least it does for me. Unfortunately, the new calendar drops Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinqagesima Sunday - the three Sundays before Ash Wednesday. It's a mistake. Like athletes, we need to prepare. Those of us who bother to exercise our bodies know you need to warm up before getting into any vigorous workout. If you think of Lent as a vigorous workout for the soul, you'll get the point about the need for preparation.
Let's keep this in mind as we return to old Brother Ass, focusing on getting him into shape.
Being in some reasonably decent shape has no downside, far as I can see. You might even make the case, there's some sort of obligation to get in shape. If you're Catholic, you already know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that, you've likely understood that abusing your body is a no-no. Maybe you've even grasped the connection between proper care of that temple with sound nutrition mixed with reasonable exercise. It's just common sense, isn't it?
Of course, the desire to be physically fit doesn't have to be religiously motivated. People are motivated by various factors, including, but not limited to, desire to be stronger, look better, be less vulnerable/prone to injury, etc. Those who consciously do associate exercise with their faith in God can also be motivated by these other factors.
Some of us who associate exercise with our understanding that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, have even formed a kind of movement, collectively known as "Faith and Fitness." Such folks not only base their desire to be in shape on their religious belief, but also tries to more formally connect the two. In case you haven't come across this idea of faith and fitness, just Google it. A whole flock of physical fitness folks with a religious bent would be happy to explain how to tie your workouts to your belief in God.
Frankly, much of it seems a bit overwrought. And the formal connection really isn't necessary, in my opinion. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with such concoctions. But I just don't get it. When I exercise, I exercise. When I pray, I pray.
Then again, that may be a function of the types of exercise I do these days. When my daily exercise consisted mostly of jogging, I frequently said my rosary as I circled the park, now that I think about it. Jogging doesn't require the same level of concentration as the weight training, bodyweight-cardio variations, or stretching stuff I do now. When you're jogging your mind can pretty much go anywhere without it knocking you off stride. So praying the rosary then made sense.
No, I'm not backtracking here. Just pointing out that the separation of faith and fitness doesn't have to be doctrinaire, like the separation of church and state has become.
So why bring all this up on a Sunday? For one thing, Sunday's a day when we get - or should get - a break from our usual routine, much of which centers on our work. And unless you're a professional athlete, you likely don't exercise on the job. You've got to make time for it. Sunday, if observed as a day of respite from the usual grind, affords you time not only to think about exercise but may be your best chance to actually exercise.
Some of us may be so-called weekend warriors who tend to spend the largest chunk of our time allotted to exercise on Saturday and Sunday. Then again, maybe you manage, as I do, to work out every day, so the weekend actually affords a break from exercise.
Whatever your situation on this Septuagesima Sunday - more exercise, or a break from your regular vigorous routine - do commit to keeping that temple in shape. And do commit to getting your soul into shape for the rigors of Lent as well.
Getting in shape for serious penance takes some doing - at least it does for me. Unfortunately, the new calendar drops Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinqagesima Sunday - the three Sundays before Ash Wednesday. It's a mistake. Like athletes, we need to prepare. Those of us who bother to exercise our bodies know you need to warm up before getting into any vigorous workout. If you think of Lent as a vigorous workout for the soul, you'll get the point about the need for preparation.
Let's keep this in mind as we return to old Brother Ass, focusing on getting him into shape.
Being in some reasonably decent shape has no downside, far as I can see. You might even make the case, there's some sort of obligation to get in shape. If you're Catholic, you already know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that, you've likely understood that abusing your body is a no-no. Maybe you've even grasped the connection between proper care of that temple with sound nutrition mixed with reasonable exercise. It's just common sense, isn't it?
Of course, the desire to be physically fit doesn't have to be religiously motivated. People are motivated by various factors, including, but not limited to, desire to be stronger, look better, be less vulnerable/prone to injury, etc. Those who consciously do associate exercise with their faith in God can also be motivated by these other factors.
Some of us who associate exercise with our understanding that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, have even formed a kind of movement, collectively known as "Faith and Fitness." Such folks not only base their desire to be in shape on their religious belief, but also tries to more formally connect the two. In case you haven't come across this idea of faith and fitness, just Google it. A whole flock of physical fitness folks with a religious bent would be happy to explain how to tie your workouts to your belief in God.
Frankly, much of it seems a bit overwrought. And the formal connection really isn't necessary, in my opinion. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with such concoctions. But I just don't get it. When I exercise, I exercise. When I pray, I pray.
Then again, that may be a function of the types of exercise I do these days. When my daily exercise consisted mostly of jogging, I frequently said my rosary as I circled the park, now that I think about it. Jogging doesn't require the same level of concentration as the weight training, bodyweight-cardio variations, or stretching stuff I do now. When you're jogging your mind can pretty much go anywhere without it knocking you off stride. So praying the rosary then made sense.
No, I'm not backtracking here. Just pointing out that the separation of faith and fitness doesn't have to be doctrinaire, like the separation of church and state has become.
So why bring all this up on a Sunday? For one thing, Sunday's a day when we get - or should get - a break from our usual routine, much of which centers on our work. And unless you're a professional athlete, you likely don't exercise on the job. You've got to make time for it. Sunday, if observed as a day of respite from the usual grind, affords you time not only to think about exercise but may be your best chance to actually exercise.
Some of us may be so-called weekend warriors who tend to spend the largest chunk of our time allotted to exercise on Saturday and Sunday. Then again, maybe you manage, as I do, to work out every day, so the weekend actually affords a break from exercise.
Whatever your situation on this Septuagesima Sunday - more exercise, or a break from your regular vigorous routine - do commit to keeping that temple in shape. And do commit to getting your soul into shape for the rigors of Lent as well.
Happy Sunday!
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