THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
THE RESURRECTIONThe Hope, 1:1 (1995), 6-7
(Anglican Cathedral Church of Our Saviour, Ijasi, Ijebu-Ode)What is Resurrection?
"He has risen; he is not here" (Mk 16:6). This is news! We know that the spirits of the dead are living and, if we are as wise as the Jews at the time of Christ, we know that they "will rise again at the resurrection on the last day" (Jn 11:24). Risen now? There was the case of Lazarus and a few others who were dead (really) and brought back to lifebut what life? They had to struggle and suffer just like the rest of us, and eventually die a second time. We don't call that "resurrection", but a kind of "resuscitation".
Resurrection could also be confused with reincarnation, the soul coming back as a new-born child. But that is likewise to come back to a life of suffering and a second death. Besides, it is a descent from the perfect (adult man) to the imperfect (child). Moreover, everyone's soul is unique and matches a unique body (as the fingerprints of every individual are unique). A soul cannot enter any body indiscriminately, but must have its own personal body.
Resurrection means rising to live outside the experience of suffering and pain, never to die again. How can that be? By the power of God, obviously, but that is not precise enough an answer. Resurrection means living in the constant presence and vision of God; that is true of those who have died before their own resurrection, but the moment God decides to restore to them their body, their body must share in the glory of their soul. The soul in the divine presence is overwhelmed with power and joy, and this must overflow to their bodies, preserving them from any corrupting influence.
Jesus' Resurrection
Throughout his life, Jesus lived in the constant presence of God, but he emptied himself of the glorious effects of this presence on his human condition; so he suffered like any slave (cf. 2 Phil 2:6-7). His own resurrection allowed this divine presence to show itself permanently in his own body (not just momentarily, as on Mount Tabor). As a consequence, he could appear and disappear at will and go through closed doors. More importantly, he rose "so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living" (Rom 14:9; cf. Acts 2:36). "God raised him on high... that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord" (Phil 2:9,11).
Yes, he was Lord from his birth by reason of his divinity, but his humanity did not share in the fullness of this dignity until after his Resurrection.
Another consequence of Jesus' Resurrection was the gift of the Spirit. Before he rose, "there was no Spirit as yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified" (Jn 7:39). In giving the Spirit, Jesus gave the life of faith and love to individuals and to the Church; he gave a variety of other gifts and gave efficacy to the rite of baptism, forgiveness of sins and the Eucharist, so that the Church may bloom with holiness.
Our Resurrection
Scripture depicts a twofold resurrection of Christians. The first is rising from sin to a life of grace: "As Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glorious power, we too should begin living a new life" (Rom 6:4).
That is only the first stage. The second stage is death in our mortal bodies. Although we shrink from death, the deeper our faith and love becomes, the more we "want to be gone and to be with Christ" (Phil 1:23). The one thing that holds us back is the need fully to accomplish the mission God has given us here on earth. God will decide that moment for us. Even if we are sick and disabled, we have the mission of praying and offering our sufferings in union with Christ as intercession for his Church. So we can never say we are useless. But death brings the vision of God, which is an indescribable happiness exceeding anything we could imagine: "Eye has not seen..." (1 Cor 2:9).
The third stage, since our departed souls are joined to Christ, is the final restoration of our own bodies with a glory that reflects and derives from that of Christ. The day of ResurrectionGod has not revealed when that will be for usis the fulfilment of everything, "the end, when Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father" (1 Cor 15:16).
Little need to worry whether your corpse is eaten by dogs or worms or microbes. The restoration is not of the same material components, but of your personal body in its proper shape and form. In fact biologists tell us that every seven years our bodies, by metabolism, have entirely new material. The important fact of the resurrection is that we are restored to our own body, and that this body shares in the glory that the soul enjoys by the vision of God, and therefore all suffering and corruption are forever excluded.
Praise be to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who won the victory over death!