The Church is clear regarding our responsibility to care for our bodies and physical health. However, she also points out the potential moral problems that can exist with an overemphasis on the body.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists several of these in paragraph 2289. Specifically, it begins by rejecting what it calls the “neo-pagan notion that tends to promote the cult of the body…”

That phrase, “the cult of the body,” refers to elevating the body’s importance so that it becomes a false god which begins to take priority over our relationship with God Himself. The term “cult” has several meanings, but in this context it can be understood as “worship.”

It is a perennial temptation for human beings to relate to the good things God has blessed us with as though they were gods — focusing on and worshiping the gift rather than the gift-Giver.

The First Commandment reminds us that we are not to have false gods. God must always be our first and most important focus. False gods come in just about any form imaginable, including the one we see in the mirror if we’re not careful.

While we may tend to think of temptation in terms of being led to do something evil, we cannot overlook the subtler temptation to use, or relate to, something good in an inappropriate or morally problematic way. There are several ways we can see this happen regarding the gift of the human body, but for now we’ll just examine the first one the catechism mentions.

It notes that we can begin to “idolize physical perfection.” Unquestionably, we see what is often an overemphasis on physical attractiveness in our world. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be at our best — to look, feel and be healthy. There is nothing wrong with physical attractiveness.

But while physical beauty is a gift, and can most certainly even be a reflection of God’s beauty to some degree, once it becomes the primary source of a person’s sense of value or worth, or their main pursuit in life, God has in some way been supplanted. When this happens, destructive behavior — both physically and spiritually — likely follows.

Spiritually I might be tempted to open the door to pride, arrogance or vanity if I’ve been gifted with physical attractiveness. An exaggerated focus might lead me to become self-absorbed or self-centered.

On the flipside, I can come to believe the lie that I’m not worth as much if I’m not physically attractive.

This can lead to jealousy or even hatred — either of self or others.

Or due to my pursuit of physical attractiveness — either to gain or maintain it — I begin to sacrifice more important things or fail in my legitimate responsibilities. If I find myself setting aside valuable relationships, skipping my religious duties, or spending excessive amounts of money on my pursuit of wanting my body to look a certain way, then I may have already crossed that line into worshiping the body instead of caring for it.

These are just a few examples of the spiritual dangers which can exist. But overemphasis on the body can also become a snare that entraps a person in self-destructive behavior of a physical nature. Once again, there are numerous examples — from unnecessary or vain surgeries, to the damage inflicted on the body due to excessive exercise, to the myriad  possible eating disorders.

What is perhaps so insidious about some of these behaviors is that they often begin as a pursuit of something good or healthy, but end up threatening the very thing that was so highly valued in the first place.

If the enemy can’t get us to do evil directly, he can sometimes tempt us to pursue good in a way that becomes harmful. Beauty is an attribute of God, but so is goodness. May our focus on the former never compromise the latter’s growth in us.