Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God…- 1 Corinthians 6:19

Over the years I’ve acquired an appreciation for holistic health as an expression of Christian spirituality and stewardship. This well-known verse from 1 Corinthians, written by Paul to urge Corinthian Christians to avoid prostitutes, still stands on its own as a teaching about the sanctity of the body. The New Testament accounts of the physical resurrection and ascension of Jesus connote that it is his whole self that was raised up by God, not just his spirit.

Healing was prominently featured in the ministry of Jesus, and has been in and out of vogue in the church. Christianity also has spawned the birth of hospitals since the high Middle Ages, and many branches of the church are distinguished by their dedication to health of body, mind and spirit and sponsorship of medical facilities and research.

A spiritual approach to health acknowledges the interdependence of the different aspects of the human person. Spiritual practices such as meditation benefit mental health and have even been scientifically shown to improve physical health. The regular practice of meditation can lower blood pressure, enhance immune function and increase the mass of the brain.

The original purpose of yoga, an insanely popular regimen these days, was to impart vibrant health and longevity to the practitioner so that he or she could devote a long lifetime to the pursuit of spiritual maturity.

Illness is not viewed as the consequence of a person’s “sin,” in the Christian view of the person, but as part of life on earth, as “God makes the sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil.” What distinguishes us is not our invulnerability to sickness, madness and death, but our compassionate, loving response to the afflicted and the dying. And to our own illnesses and infirmities.

After knowing people who included prayer, meditation and visualization to their healing regimens and witnessing the effectiveness of these practices, I no longer use the language of war when I think or talk about people living with a serious illness. You know what I mean. We often hear of someone who “battled” cancer, often heroically. But the holistic perspective toward illness would be to learn from it and use it, with God’s help, as an opportunity for growth and transformation.

Seeing one’s illness as an enemy to be battled can only create deeper inner discord. This cannot possibly assist a person in returning to wholeness and health, or at least to some place of peace and acceptance where disease may be a long term companion. The Reign of God means justice for the world, and wholeness and health for the person.

The Rev. Randy Lord-Wilkinson is rector of Ascension, Gaithersburg.