O Unction, O Balm for the Soul! (On the Way to Pascha)

Last updated on: April 28, 2021 at 11:30 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

O Unction, O Balm for the Soul! (On the Way to Pascha) 2021-04-28T23:30:25-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

We are God’s workmanship as a we and not alone, never alone, because we are God’s own.

The deepest truth in this passage is not what we should not do to our bodies. Our pastor pointed out that sometimes this passage is used to forbid assorted things (tattoos! smoking!), with the focus on the individual.* Instead, the great, good hope is that we are, each individual one of us, part of the great temple of God. We are God’s own and Father God will keep us in safety and His Spirit will indwell us.

We are a temple, the visible Bride of Christ.

After a hard year, one that felt like it should be counted like dog years, aging us seven for every one, we were reminded of unction, the balm for the healing of our soul and body. Holy oil can be applied to our head and hands as an outer sign of the balm that the Holy Spirit would apply to our hearts. Our minds need Wisdom’s voice, our hands power to do good to others, our hearts healing to beat true. The Unction, the Balm, is a promise that God will restore His temple.

There is hope, because this balm is not merely a sweet smell, though oil is sweet! The balm is a medicine for healing. Too late for a vaccine against sin, we need good internal medicine. The beauty of Divine Unction is that the medicine is sweet and the cure sure. This can hurt as healing often does, our hurting hearts need new healthy tissue. As the fetus can provide healing to the heart of the mother in natural pregnancy, so when conceived within us, the Holy Spirit can heal our broken hearts.

Again, we do not have to experience this healing alone, in isolation, but as the members of one body, we bear one another’s burdens. We never need to bear the burden of healing alone because the saints pray for us and stand with us. We are part of a living temple that includes the Mother of God, the Apostles, the martyrs, the great saints of all ages. Some particular group may fail us, but there are tens of millions of faithful fully healed in paradise standing with us. As the balm, the Spirit is applied, they are in solidarity with us.

We are never alone or forgotten. There can never be just one of us, because so many of us have already gone to safety: home, healed.

The healthy have no need for healing. We need healing, but the healing is for a purpose: health. We will not always be as we are. The great Day is coming when even death will be defeated. The balm will continue as a sweet perfume in the temple.

O Unction!

O balm for our souls!

*I am thankful to Father James of Saint George Orthodox (Houston) for getting me thinking and praying on this theme. Any mistakes are my own!

Culture

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

April 27, 2021

The Bridegroom and the Bride: the making of a Father and a Mother (Passion for Pascha!)

Next Post

April 29, 2021 Washing, Eating, Drinking, Glittering with Glory and Seeing Divinity (Pascha Almost Here!)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive"" mean in the Lord's Prayer?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Pray for revenge We should forgive others Hold grudges Ask for wealth

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »