Church Year Calendar: Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Week 11 of Ordinary Time, Aug. 8, 2010)

The theme for this week in the church calendar is our bodies. The following are the scripture passages traditionally associated with this theme: Psalm 128, Song of Songs, Matthew 6:25-34, and 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Psalm 128 and Matthew 6:25-34 both focus on God’s physical care of those whose highest goal in life is to seek God’s kingdom and his glory first, before their own. Song of Songs and 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 focus the gift of sexuality and marriage and the responsibility to use these gifts in a way that pleases him. The overarching idea of all these passages, as well as much of the rest of scripture, is for us to honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20).