I believe in the I believe in the resurrection of the bodyresurrection of the body

2222SIGNORELLI, Luca

Resurrection of the Flesh1499-1502

FrescoChapel of San Brizio, Duomo,

Orvieto

Compendium of the Catechism

203. What is meant by the “resurrection of the body”?

990 This means that the definitive

state of man will not be one in which his spiritual soul is separated from his body. Even our mortal bodies will one day come to life again.

Introduction

Christians firmly believe and hope that, in the same way as Christ rose and lives forever, so the just —after death— shall live forever with Christ, and Christ shall raise them up on the last day. “(…) how can some among you

say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty (too) is our preaching; empty, too, your faith.(…) But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Cor 15:12-14,20)

SIGNORELLI, LucaResurrection of the Flesh (detail)

1499-1502Fresco

Chapel of San Brizio, Duomo, Orvieto

Main ideasMain ideas

1. All men have to die

Everybody knows he has to die some day, and the experience of death supports this belief.

We have to bear in mind that we only live and die once. Reincarnation after death is a fantasy and an error.

Death is the separation of soul and body: the end of life on earth. A few hours after death the body begins to decompose.

BALDUNG GRIEN, HansThree Ages of the Woman and the Death1510Oil on limewood,48 x 32,5 cmKunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

2. Death, a consequence of sin

Death entered the world because of sin. By nature man is mortal, but God bestowed on him the privilege of escaping from death, provided that man was faithful to God.

Therefore, death was contrary to God’s designs, it entered the world as a consequence of the original sin committed by Adam and Eve.

PACHER, MichaelSt Wolfgang Altarpiece: Resurrection of Lazar

1479-81Wood, 173 x 140,5 cm

Parish Church, Sankt Wolfgang

3. Death was transformed by Christ

Christian death has a positive meaning. Christ’s obedience transformed the curse of death into a blessing. By His death Jesus conquered death, opening to all men the possibility of salvation: “Lord, for Your faithful people life

is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.”

UNKNOWN MASTER, FlemishResurrectionc. 1400Tempera on wood, 33,1 x 21,2 cmMuseum Mayer van den Bergh, Antwerp

4. After death

The soul, being immortal, cannot die. At the moment of death, the soul separates from the body and appears before God to be judged.

Accordingly, the soul goes to heaven to enter the glory of God —or to purgatory for purification— or goes to hell if man has died in mortal sin, that is, without God’s grace. After death, the final destination cannot be rectified, and new merits cannot be acquired.

The judgment that takes place right after death is called particular judgment. Jesus Christ is the judge.

POURBUS, PieterLast Judgement

1551Oil on oak panel, 228,5 x 181 cm

Groeninge Museum, Bruges

5. The dead shall rise at the end of time.

Christians firmly believe that, in the same way as Christ rose, we likewise will rise for the final judgment. Our body, transformed, will rise to be united with the soul and never die again.

All men shall rise, but not all will have the same destiny: good men will rise to eternal glory, and bad men to eternal condemnation.

BACKER, Jacob deThe Last Judgementc. 1580Oil on panel, 140 x 105 cm (centre panel), 140 x 52 cm (wings)O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp

6. Preparing for the moment of death.

In the Gospel, our Lord tells us about these tremendous truths of life and death, to alert us to be ready when He comes to call us to give account before the judgment. And since death comes like a thief –without warning—we’d better be ready. But, how? Begging often for forgiveness

from Our Lord. Making a daily examination of

conscience. Confessing our sins often. DE VALDES LEAL, Juan

Allegory of Death: In Ictu Oculi1664Hospital de la Caridad (Seville)

Resolutions for Christian lifeResolutions for Christian life

Resolutions to move forward

Try to make an examination of conscience before going to bed, reviewing what we have done well and what we have done wrong during the day; make an act of contrition and propose resolutions for the next day.

Think that God is going to judge us at the end of our life, and that He is merciful but also just.