“What light is to the eyes, this is what prayer is to the soul; and if being unable to see light is considered a great loss, then how great is the loss we suffer when we fail to pray and prevent the light of Christ from entering our souls?”  

- St John Chrysostom, Homily on Prayer, The Light of the World, pg ix. 

Reflection: 

These days while staying safe at home, we often forget to go out for a walk to enjoy the benefits of the sun, and little by little it eats away at us. Only after a long time do we realize the detriment to our physical and mental health.  Such is the same when we look inward; are we depriving our soul of its light?

Just as we need to open the door to go outside and get some sunlight, it is necessary to make the effort to open the door of our hearts in prayer.  

Our spiritual health is vital to our physical and mental health. Our mind, soul, and body are not separate compartments but all are interconnected. Choosing not to pray is to deprive our soul of the Light of Christ; depriving our entire being of good health.  

“And just as one who wishes to stand in light must avoid the darkness, so too those who wish to converse with God must abandon the darkness within themselves.”(1)  To fully receive the Light of Christ, we must repent and try our best to love God and neighbor.(2)

As we remember to go for a walk to rejuvenate our physical and mental health, let's add additional prayer to our day to refresh our soul; so that our mind, soul, and body may be restored by Christ our God(3).

Resources:

1)  St John Chrysostom, Homily on Prayer, The Light of the World, Pg ix

2) Matthew 22:35-37 The Greatest Commandment 3) Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”