Last week the first reply to my blog was from ‘Searching’ with a comment saying ‘what does the resurrection of the body really mean?’ This is an excellent question…

The righteous (as judged by the Lord) will rise and live with the Risen Christ. Our resurrection, like his, is a work of the Trinity. “The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom 8:11). We believe that, by death, the soul is separated from the body, and that on the Last Day our bodies will be re-united with our souls in the Resurrection of the Dead and will live forever. These resurrected bodies will differ from our current bodies in four major ways; 

The first is “impassibility”, that is, not experiencing suggering or pain (there is none in heaven). “It is sown”, says the Apostle, ” in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:42). The bodies of the damned however will be incorruptible, but not impassible; they shall be subject to heat and cold, and pain. 

The next quality is “brightness”, or “glory”, by which the bodies of the saints shall shine like the sun. “It is sown in dishonour,” says the Apostle, “it shall rise in glory” (1 Corinthians 15:43; cf. Matthew 13:43; 17:2; Philippians 3:21). All the bodies of the saints shall be equally impassible, but they shall be endowed with different degrees of glory. According to St. Paul: “One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars. For star differs from star in glory”‘(1 Corinthians 15:41-42). 

The third quality is that of “agility”, meaning the body shall be free in motion and capable of moving quickly where ever the soul pleases. The Apostle says: “It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power” (1 Corinthians 15:43). 

The fourth quality is “subtility”, when the body becomes subject to the absolute dominion of the soul. This is inferred from the words of the Apostle: “It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44). The body participates in the soul’s more perfect and spiritual life to such an extent that it becomes itself like a spirit. We see this quality exemplified in the fact that Christ passed through material objects. 

www.newadvent.org 

CCC 988 – 1019 

This brief outline, I hope, is able to offer some clarity on the resurrection of the body… what say you? 

    – Christ the Judge, Sistine Chapel