Thursday, June 23, 2016
Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 153 – Part I.
(Youcat
answer) In Jesus Christ, God himself took on “flesh” (Incarnation) in order to
redeem mankind. The biblical word “flesh” characterizes man in his weakness and
mortality. Nevertheless, God does not regard human flesh as something inferior.
God does not redeem man’s spirit only; he redeems him entirely, body and soul.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 992)
God revealed the resurrection of the dead to his people progressively. Hope in
the bodily resurrection of the dead established itself as a consequence
intrinsic to faith in God as creator of the whole man, soul and body. The
creator of heaven and earth is also the one who faithfully maintains his
covenant with Abraham and his posterity. It was in this double perspective that
faith in the resurrection came to be expressed. In their trials, the Maccabean
martyrs confessed: The King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting
renewal of life, because we have died for his laws (2 Macc 7:9). One cannot but
choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of
being raised again by him (2 Macc 7:14; cf. 7:29; Dan 12:1-13). (CCC 993) The
Pharisees and many of the Lord's contemporaries hoped for the resurrection.
Jesus teaches it firmly. To the Sadducees who deny it he answers, "Is not
this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of
God?" (Mk 12:24; cf. Jn 11:24; Acts 23:6). Faith in the resurrection rests
on faith in God who "is not God of the dead, but of the living" (Mk
12:27).
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment)
God created us with a
body (flesh) and a soul. At the end of the world he does not drop the “flesh”
like an old toy. On the “Last Day” he will remake all creation and raise us up
in the flesh—this
means that we will be transformed but still experience ourselves in our
element. For Jesus, too, being in the flesh was not just a phase. When the
risen Lord showed himself, the disciples saw the wounds on his body.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 994)
But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person:
"I am the Resurrection and the life" (Jn 11:25). It is Jesus himself
who on the last day will raise up those who have believed in him, who have
eaten his body and drunk his blood (Cf. Jn 5:24-25; 6:40, 54). Already now in
this present life he gives a sign and pledge of this by restoring some of the
dead to life (Cf. Mk 5:21-42; Lk 7:11-17; Jn 11), announcing thereby his own
Resurrection, though it was to be of another order. He speaks of this unique
event as the "sign of Jonah" (Mt 12:39). The sign of the temple: he
announces that he will be put to death but rise thereafter on the third day
(Cf. Mk 10:34; Jn 2:19-22).
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