For years, Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' followers. She even stood at the foot of Jesus' cross. Yet she didn't recognize Him after His resurrection, for He was "completely changed in appearance" (Mk 16:12). Two of Jesus' disciples walked about seven miles with the risen Jesus. Like Mary Magdalene, they "were restrained from recognizing Him" (Lk 24:16). The risen Jesus doesn't look anything like He looked before the resurrection, because risen life is so different from our present life.

Our bodies will also look very different after our resurrection than they do now — as different as the full-grown plant is from the seed (1 Cor 15:37). The Lord "will give a new form to this lowly body of ours and remake it according to the pattern of His glorified body" (Phil 3:21). Our risen bodies and lives will be very different than anything we have yet experienced. "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9).

Although we Christians presently share only imperfectly (1 Cor 13:12) in Christ's risen life (Col 3:1), let us live the risen life as fully as possible. May our bodies be the best temples of the Spirit they can be (1 Cor 6:19). May we "acquire a fresh spiritual way of thinking" (Eph 4:23). May we "become the very holiness of God" (2 Cor 5:21) and "attain to the fullness of God Himself" (Eph 3:19). Look different. Live different. Live risen.

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, November 9, 1996

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, November 15, 1996