heavenly bodies
"He was transfigured before their eyes and His clothes became dazzlingly white." —Mark 9:2-3
On Transfiguration mountain, Peter, James, and John saw Jesus' glorified body. They also saw how their own bodies would look in Heaven. "He 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).
Imagine Jesus' transfigured body as the pattern according to which our lowly bodies will be remade. God began renovating our bodies when He bought them at the price of His blood (1 Cor 6:20). Yet even though He owns us, He will not move in unless we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rm 12:1).
Then the Holy Spirit will come to us and make our bodies His temple (1 Cor 6:19). Throughout life, the Spirit will do much in our bodily temples. He will set us free from enslavement to bodily desires. He will discipline our bodies and master them (1 Cor 9:27).
Finally, the Spirit will raise us from the dead and clothe mortality with immortality and corruptibility with incorruptibility (1 Cor 15:53). "He Who raised Christ from the dead will bring your mortal bodies to life also, through His Spirit dwelling in you" (Rm 8:11). Then our bodies will look like Jesus' glorified, transfigured body. Alleluia!
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for loving not only my soul but also my body.
Promise: "Through faith we perceive that the worlds were created by the word of God, and that what is visible came into being through the invisible." —Heb 11:3
Praise: St. Polycarp was bishop of Smyrna and was a revered Christian leader. He was called a strong fortress of the Faith. He died a Christian martyr's death in 156.
Reference: (For a related teaching on Risen Life, order, view, or download our leaflet or order, listen to, or download our CD 4A-1, CD 4A-3, CD 4B-1 and CD 4B-3 or DVD 4A and 4B.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 24, 2018
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