One of the most thought-provoking and complex sections of the Creed is the proclamation concerning the resurrection of the body and eternal life.
1. The Resurrection of the Body
“I believe in the resurrection of the body!”-This is the foundation of our daily profession of faith, and it rests entirely on the resurrection of Jesus. The first and foremost truth regarding Jesus’ resurrection is that He rose with His body. However, this body was not subject to the same physical limitations and characteristics as His former earthly body. The risen body of Jesus is glorified-free from the limitations of space and time. It radiates with glory. Yet, it is the very continuation of His former physical body; Jesus did not abandon His old body to assume a new one. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “In his risen body he passes from the state of death to another life beyond time and space. At Jesus’ resurrection his body is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit: he shares the divine life in his glorious state…” (CCC 645).
Characteristics of the Risen Body
The risen body is not a material or physical body in the earthly sense. It no longer bears the external appearance or limitations of the body prior to death, but it remains essentially and truly continuous with the former earthly body. The Church teaches five key characteristics of the risen body:
1. Incorruptibility: The risen body is imperishable and eternal.
2. Glory: It will shine with radiance and splendor.
3. Subtlety: The ability to move freely without being hindered by physical barriers-recall how the risen Christ entered a room even though the doors were locked.
4. Agility: A body freed from weight or heaviness.
5. Speed: It is no longer bound by earthly limitations of movement.
2. Faith in Eternal Life
The term eternal life is a union of two words: eternity and life. Eternal life is life that endures in eternity.
Eternity refers to a state that has neither beginning nor end. In the absolute sense, only God exists in eternity. However, there is a distinction when it comes to the eternal life that human beings partake in. Though it is unending, it does have a beginning-from the moment of our resurrection, we enter into eternity with God. God, being eternal, has no beginning, but we enter into eternity by being united with Him after the resurrection.
In fact, eternal life begins already here on earth. We have been taught that what we receive in the holy sacrament of Baptism is divine life. This divine life is eternal life. Baptism signifies death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. He who dies with Him will also rise with Him. All who have received the baptism of faith become partakers in His resurrection (cf. Romans 6:1).
3. Eternal Life and Earthly Life
Eternal life is not merely a concept or a vague hope about the future. It is the very dignity and foundation of our life here on earth. An individual’s awareness of eternal life is what gives structure and direction to their earthly life. Without a consciousness of eternal life, one cannot truly possess a moral compass. To believe that this life has meaning is to understand that human life does not end as a mere blade of grass that withers away. It is the awareness of a life that transcends the temporal, a life destined for eternity.
Fr. Dr. Arun Kalamattathil
