Like many of you, I participated in the first Sunday ritual of Holy communion this week. Because I am not currently attending services in person, I had to use what I had on hand. I won’t offend your Christian sensibilities by describing what I actually used, but it was definitely not your grandmother’s communion wafers and grape juice.

Anyway, as I was partaking of the elements, my Youtube Pastor did his traditional reading of I Corinthians 11:23. “This is my body, which is broken for you”, he said. And something in my own body shifted. We have a whole catalog of songs about the soul-saving power of the blood of Jesus, but we spend so little time talking about the vessel that carried that blood. Jesus, the man, before he shed his blood on Calvary’s cross, walked around the earth in skin, much like my own. Jesus slept, he wept, and before he died, he dined. We need to talk about how Jesus, before he offered his body as sacrifice, honored it as sacred.

The national theme for this year’s Black History month celebration is Black Health and Wellness. (Did you know there’s a theme every year?) So for the next few weeks, I want to focus on how we can take better care of our own bodies. Black health matters. Your health matters. It matters to me, and I believe it matters to God.

Self-care is soul care. So join me for the rest of the month in being intentional about caring for our bodies. I’m not asking you to fast or try a new diet plan. In fact, I have no recommendations at all. I just want you to try to make at least one more healthy choice per day. Together, let’s honor the temple that houses the Holy spirit in us.

Today, I pray that you take care of yourself: body and soul.