Christian Spirituality and its Contribution to Health Promotion
Health is a condition of life valued by every human being. Through it, every area of our existence can function productively and develop to its full potential.
The state of health that sustains well-being, however, is not static; it is not a fixed condition, once achieved and thereafter maintained indefinitely. It calls for effort and care on the part of the person who seeks it. In the practice of spirituality that pursuit finds a source of strength, one that fosters balance across the whole of life.
From the standpoint of Christian spirituality, several practices are worth naming for the benefits they bring to health: prayer, forgiveness, and love. A phrase attributed to the Roman poet Juvenal applies here — “Mens sana in corpore sano,” a sound mind in a sound body. The stronger the mind, the stronger the body, and the result is a soundness that is integral rather than partial.
Prayer is the means by which human beings cultivate their relationship with God. It is also a spiritual remedy that reaches the very core of a person, touching places medicine cannot reach: it fosters inner peace, lowers stress, works against depression, and strengthens the immune system. The practice of forgiveness, joined to love, likewise contributes to a lighter life, free of burdens that damage health.
In short, the practice of Christian spirituality tends to strengthen the overall health of those who live it. Beyond the virtues already mentioned — love, forgiveness, and prayer — it is worth remembering that other spiritual disciplines, such as reading and meditating on the Word of God, strengthen not only the spiritual life but mental health and, in consequence, physical health as well.
