The scripture readings for the Easter season continue to reinforce the things that we are learning from the Theology of the Body. Our bodies are important to God. He himself took upon himself a body of human flesh. We encounter God—more than just a body—when we “see” Jesus Christ. This is certainly true for the readings we heard this past Sunday.
We heard from 1 John 1:1-4, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
John starts with “that which was from the beginning”--that is, the life that springs forth from God the Father—and insists that they have seen this life with their own eyes and touched it. Meaning that as they saw and touched Jesus, they “saw” something that was much deeper than a mere body. They “saw” what Jesus’ body signified. Furthermore, they knew that a consequence of their seeing this way is “fellowship”—unity with the Father and one another, just as Jesus prayed the night before he died: see our previous post here. In Jesus body—showing forth the “life” that he manifested, the eternal life of the Father—the disciples got a glimpse of the embodied-life-in-unity that was the original intention of the Father in creating human beings in the first place. And it is a joyful thing to see.
We further read John 20:26-29, Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The disciples were locked up in a room--alone, in solitude, puzzled, afraid, and uncertain—and Jesus stood among them, fully present in his risen body. His presence ends their solitude and brings peace. For we were made to know God, and can only have peace when we do. Jesus is God in the flesh, a mind-bending and almost unbelievable concept. Yet when Thomas saw and touched the sheer materiality and solidity of Jesus’ risen body, he could only say, “My Lord and my God!” It is amazing, but God-in-the-flesh--that is truly the theology of Jesus' body. Real life is to live together in a fellowship of peace with our Father God, known through the Word-made-flesh and made present to our spirits by his Spirit.
Along these lines here's a link to an excellent article on the necessity of the physical Resurrection, "Of Miracles, Magicians and Manichees":
ReplyDeletehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2012/04/of-miracles-and-manichees.html
A sample quote:
"... he believed in the resurrection, but not the physical resurrection. This is like saying I believe in marriage, but not a marriage where people do anything so crude as to make love."