Our interest must be in our soul, not in our body.

Our interest must be in our soul, not in our body.
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It was the time when paper cups were introduced into coffee shops.

I approached a tea stall to buy a cup of tea.

Tea was served in a paper cup.

The moment I saw the cup I found myself interested more in the cup rather than the tea.

After sipping the tea I put the cup into my bag instead of throwing it away as it should have  been done.

For a few following days I took more interest in the collection of cups rather than drinking tea.

My action looks curious,  isn't it?

Surely it is.

But we are behaving in the same way as I did, though in different situations.

We are more attached to the things than to what they are  used for.

To give one example, food is for nutrition.

But most often nutrition is sacrificed at the altar of taste.

We like a foodstuff more for its taste than for its nutrition.

We like colourful and tasty food though it is nutritiously poor.

We are attached to colour and taste.

In other words, we are interested only in the colour and taste of the foodstuffs.

Many a times we consume harmful things

just because they are tasty and colourful!

Now let us come to the main point.

We are living in this world.

Which is more important,  our living or the world?

Or,

Why were we  created, to live or for this world?

Surly we were created to live,  this world is simply a place to live in.

Why were we created to live?

or,

what is the aim of our creation?

The aim of our creation is the next world, heaven, 

where we are to live happily for ever.

We are only travellers, travelling towards a destination,  heaven.

This world is simply a vehicle,

a temporary traveling instrument,

which we will throw off

the moment we reach our permanent abode,  heaven.

But,

we,

like the people who love the bus they travel by

more than their permanent living abode,

are more attached to this world

than to heaven.

The world should be at our service

to help us to reach heaven,

but, 

it is a pity

that we are at the service of this world,

because of which

we will lose  the next world.

The life in this world and for this world  is material,

as matter is our main companion.

Our Heavenward journey in this world is spiritual,

as the Holy Spirit is our Companion.

So, we must be attached to spirituality,

not to materialism.

We must be detached from this world and attached to the next.

But we use the material things of this world

as long as we live here,

why?

The material things we use

must be baptized with spirituality,

so that they may help us positively

in our spiritual journey

towards heaven.

This baptism is just a two word mantra, 'for God.'

We eat food for God.

We drink water for God.

We wear our dress for God.

We walk on earth for God.

We sleep on bed for God.

We work in the field for God.

Whatever we do for God

loses its material value

and

attains spiritual value.

It becomes an asset in heaven.

Sin is the only thing that we cannot do for God.

Material thing is a material thing only

when we use it material purposes.

It becomes a spiritual thing when we use it for spiritual purposes.

Water becomes Holy water  when blessed by the priest and is used for baptism, a sacrament.

Money becomes an offering

when we offer it to God

or

when we give it to the poor in the name of God.

Bending our knees

becomes an act of adoration

when we do it

before the Blessed Sacrament.

A song becomes a hymn

when it is sung for God

and

the Saints who are with Him.

Above all,

an ordinary host and wine

become

the real  body and blood of Christ

at the Words of Consecration

uttered by the Priest!

The Holy Eucharist is our spiritual food,

as Jesus is really present in it.

One thing is clear.

We are living in this world

not for this world, 

but only to prepare ourselves

for the next world.

So there is no use of being attached to this world.

Let us detach ourselves from material things,

and

be interested in spirituality.

Our interest must be in our soul, not in our body.

Our body,

a matter,

will return to the earth

whence it came,

where as,

our soul,

a spirit, 

will rise up to heaven,

for which it has been created.

Lourdu Selvam.