As we move through the Easter season, we celebrate and rejoice in the Resurrection. But one of the difficulties we may have is how to think about the Resurrection; what does it mean to live in the new order, in the life beyond this life? Yes, we believe that Jesus has defeated the power of death, so that it has lost its sting, and he has opened up for us the gate of heaven. But what should we expect to find when we walk through that gate? Well if we still harbour images of floating on clouds with weightless bodies, playing ethereal music on golden harps, then the passage from Luke we had earlier should wipe such images for good. The only model for Resurrection life comes from Jesus. Everything else is human speculation. Jesus is not ghost-like; he appears before the disciples with a transformed body. A body with physical substance yet transformed now by heavenly life. On earth, yet OF heaven. As human beings our experience of what is real comes through the 5 senses: hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell. Those senses tell us what is real. All five senses are present here in this encounter from Luke 24. Peace be with you, Jesus says: hearing. Look at my hands and my feet: sight. touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and blood as you see that I have: touch. He took and ate a piece of broiled fish in their presence: taste. And the smell? Well, maybe that's the weakest, but of all the foods he might have asked for (bread, olives, figs) fish is the most pungent! The heavenly event has earthly reality. And there is continuity with his earthly body, for the wounds of crucifixion are still visible.
So what does this say to us? Let me suggest two things:
Firstly, the Resurrection of Jesus is real. It happened and it was solid reality. The disciples had nothing to go on, this was outside not only their experience but also any concepts they had. Not surprising then they are described as startled, terrified, joyful, disbelieving and left wondering. Those emotions can only come from a real experience.
Secondly, if it is real, then it will be our experience if we trust in Christ. He is, as St Paul puts it, the first fruits of those who have died. When our turn comes, we are the later fruits. We will receive resurrection bodies, transformed by the life and power of heaven itself. This is worth pondering when the bodies we have now start to let us down. As these earthly, physical bodies fail, we can see that as a sign that we are moving closer to transformation, to receiving heavenly earthly bodies. So instead of bemoaning failing eyesight, loss of hearing, restricted bodily movement, weaker taste buds and sense of smell, let's rejoice that in Jesus' resurrected body these 5 senses were transformed and completed. And let's believe that it will be so also for those who follow after Christ. As Paul writes: 'Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being.' Let us pray…
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