Dear Parishioners,

Many people believe in life after death whether or not they are Christian or part of any religion at all. People naturally have an inkling that there is something more to our life on earth and something in us lives forever. Unfortunately, some people then infer from this truth that the body does not matter since it dies and does not last forever. As Catholics, we believe that the body does matter because when Jesus rose from the dead, he came back with His body and showed the power of God.

As we go through the Easter season, we hear many of the accounts of Christ’s resurrection like in today’s Gospel. Through these appearances Christ shows many things about his resurrected body. He shows that it is the same body that lived an earthly life, suffered and died by showing His wounds to St. Thomas and the other disciples. Yet, these wounds do not harm Him. For, He is whole and even more than that, immortal without decay or death. He can no longer suffer and die. His body also shows supernatural qualities by being able to pass through walls and appear where he likes. This body is not a ghostly one but shows every sign of being present, even eating, touching others and speaking. By resurrecting Jesus, God glorifies the body and shows that it is not just discarded and unimportant.

If Jesus just came back as a spirit, that would not be much of a miracle. People have seen spirits since time immemorial and that would just mean that He was a ghost. If Jesus came back from the dead and died again, then that would have less meaning for our faith and salvation. If Jesus’s resurrection was just a metaphor for His message and teachings, then it would have no impact on our salvation.

However, since He did rise from the dead, that makes the body incredibly important. We cannot deny them human rights or take advantage of those who are weak even though they might receive their rewards in the next life. We have to treat our own bodies with respect, keeping chaste and not harming ourselves with excess drug use, eating and drinking. Even when we pass away, every person has a right to a proper funeral and burial in accordance with the teachings of the Church. When we die, our bodies are not just objects since they will be resurrected when Our Lord comes again to judge the living and the dead.

The Resurrection is really at the center of everything we believe as Christians. I hope knowing about the resurrection changes your life and helps you to realize your and other people’s worth in the eyes of God.

Happy Easter!

Fr. Carter