What does the Catholic Church teach about Jesus's glorified body?

[Bookcat]

Please help if you can. This is a very important issue to me. Thank you.

(read it all …slowly…word for word…lots there).

The condition of Christ’s risen humanity

645 By means of touch and the sharing of a meal, the risen Jesus establishes direct contact with his disciples. He invites them in this way to recognize that he is not a ghost and above all to verify that the risen body in which he appears to them is the same body that had been tortured and crucified, for it still bears the traces of his Passion.509 Yet at the same time this authentic, real body possesses the new properties of a glorious body: not limited by space and time but able to be present how and when he wills; for Christ’s humanity can no longer be confined to earth, and belongs henceforth only to the Father’s divine realm.510 For this reason too the risen Jesus enjoys the sovereign freedom of appearing as he wishes: in the guise of a gardener or in other forms familiar to his disciples, precisely to awaken their faith.511

646 Christ’s Resurrection was not a return to earthly life, as was the case with the raisings from the dead that he had performed before Easter: Jairus’ daughter, the young man of Naim, Lazarus. These actions were miraculous events, but the persons miraculously raised returned by Jesus’ power to ordinary earthly life. At some particular moment they would die again. Christ’s Resurrection is essentially different. In his risen body he passes from the state of death to another life beyond time and space. At Jesus’ Resurrection his body is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit: he shares the divine life in his glorious state, so that St. Paul can say that Christ is “the man of heaven”.512

Catechism scborromeo.org/ccc/p122a5p2.htm#I
**
“HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER” **

659 "So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."532 Christ’s body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties it subsequently and **permanently **enjoys.533 But during the forty days when he eats and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches them about the kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of ordinary humanity.534 Jesus’ final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God’s right hand.535 Only in a wholly exceptional and unique way would Jesus show himself to Paul “as to one untimely born”, in a last apparition that established him as an apostle.536

and

663 Henceforth Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father: "By ‘the Father’s right hand’ we understand the glory and honor of divinity, where he who exists as Son of God before all ages, indeed as God, of one being with the Father, is seated bodily after he became incarnate and his flesh was glorified."546

scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c2a6.htm

 

[notforgotten]

We look forward to the resurrection! Exciting isn’t it!

It would mean that this world has come to an end and the regeneration has begun. I’m not looking forward to the end of this world. There is more work in Christ to be done.

 

[notforgotten]

(read it all …slowly…word for word…lots there).

The condition of Christ’s risen humanity

645 By means of touch and the sharing of a meal, the risen Jesus establishes direct contact with his disciples. He invites them in this way to recognize that he is not a ghost and above all to verify that the risen body in which he appears to them is the same body that had been tortured and crucified, for it still bears the traces of his Passion.509 Yet at the same time this authentic, real body possesses the new properties of a glorious body: not limited by space and time but able to be present how and when he wills; for Christ’s humanity can no longer be confined to earth, and belongs henceforth only to the Father’s divine realm.510 For this reason too the risen Jesus enjoys the sovereign freedom of appearing as he wishes: in the guise of a gardener or in other forms familiar to his disciples, precisely to awaken their faith.511

646 Christ’s Resurrection was not a return to earthly life, as was the case with the raisings from the dead that he had performed before Easter: Jairus’ daughter, the young man of Naim, Lazarus. These actions were miraculous events, but the persons miraculously raised returned by Jesus’ power to ordinary earthly life. At some particular moment they would die again. Christ’s Resurrection is essentially different. In his risen body he passes from the state of death to another life beyond time and space. At Jesus’ Resurrection his body is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit: he shares the divine life in his glorious state, so that St. Paul can say that Christ is “the man of heaven”.512

Catechism scborromeo.org/ccc/p122a5p2.htm#I
**
“HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER” **

659 "So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."532 Christ’s body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties it subsequently and **permanently **enjoys.533 But during the forty days when he eats and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches them about the kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of ordinary humanity.534 Jesus’ final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God’s right hand.535 Only in a wholly exceptional and unique way would Jesus show himself to Paul “as to one untimely born”, in a last apparition that established him as an apostle.536

and

663 Henceforth Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father: "By ‘the Father’s right hand’ we understand the glory and honor of divinity, where he who exists as Son of God before all ages, indeed as God, of one being with the Father, is seated bodily after he became incarnate and his flesh was glorified."546

scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c2a6.htm

You have indeed shown me what the Church teaches. Thank you.

 

[Bookcat]

I’m not looking forward to the end of this world. There is more work in Christ to be done.

None the less we still look forward to the resurrection!

(as we profess every Sunday)

 

[Bookcat]

You have indeed shown me what the Church teaches. Thank you.

Your welcome.

One must understand Paul as Paul meant. Some can in reading certain renderings in other Languages mistake some of what he says. Thankfully Jesus founded his Church and sent out that Church with authority…and did not leave us just to the translators and publishers etc.

 

[Bookcat]

You have indeed shown me what the Church teaches. Thank you.

Bonus



"At Easter we rejoice because Christ did not remain in the tomb, his body did not see corruption; he belongs to the world of the living, not to the world of the dead; we rejoice because he is the Alpha and also the Omega, as we proclaim in the rite of the Paschal Candle; he lives not only yesterday, but today and for eternity (cf. Heb 13:8).

But somehow the Resurrection is situated so far beyond our horizon, so far outside all our experience that, returning to ourselves, we find ourselves continuing the argument of the disciples: Of what exactly does this “rising” consist? What does it mean for us, for the whole world and the whole of history? A German theologian once said ironically that the miracle of a corpse returning to life - if it really happened, which he did not actually believe - would be ultimately irrelevant precisely because it would not concern us. In fact, if it were simply that somebody was once brought back to life, and no more than that, in what way should this concern us? But the point is that Christ’s Resurrection is something more, something different. If we may borrow the language of the theory of evolution, it is the greatest “mutation”, absolutely the most crucial leap into a totally new dimension that there has ever been in the long history of life and its development: a leap into a completely new order which does concern us, and concerns the whole of history."

~ Pope Benedict XVI

w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20060415_veglia-pasquale.html

Not a return to normal bodily life - our body will be transformed -though remain of course our body as that of Jesus did…

A spiritual body - not as our body is now.

Truly though a body - not “a spirit” …not like a ghost etc.

Glorified!

Not “flesh” in the *other sense *of the word -referring to corruptable and mortal. (see the first part of CCC 990)

(remember the word “flesh” gets used in various senses in Scripture…it can be rather confusing…if one does realize this. Paul means very particular senses.)

But yes glorifed flesh in the sense of his glorifed body.

Rather - imperishable, glorified and with power …

Wonderfully so!

 

[GEddie]

Yes, He was resurrected in a flesh human body. But, He is not now (today), still in a flesh human body? He is in spirit form,…although still glorified?

Why would He lose His body again?

ICXC NIKA

 

[worldwideweary]

Although this may sound off topic, it isn’t (take it as a friendly reminder).
Remember John’s words:
***Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it has not yet appeared what we shall be.
We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is. ***

 

[GEddie]

Although this may sound off topic, it isn’t (take it as a friendly reminder).
Remember John’s words:
***Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it has not yet appeared what we shall be.
We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is. ***

But still a human body.

ICXC NIKA

 

[worldwideweary]

To say “human body” doesn’t seem to clarify the intellect regarding the nature of a glorified body, but it’s hard to say otherwise.
Obviously Airstotle isn’t authoritative here, but St. Thomas references him as “The Philosopher” many times. He states:

“There exists, therefore, an operation of the soul which so far exceeds the corporeal nature that it is not even performed by
any corporeal organ; and such is the operation of the ‘rational soul.’” (Q. 78, Art. 1)

I quote this because it seems becoming of a glorified body to be more simple than the body in its current status. This is just conjecture, but it may be the case that the human glorified body will be so unified with the intellect/will that the dichotomy will cease to be the case as it is generally understood. Of course this doesn’t really help clarify anything either.
I wish not to derail the thread, so I’ll leave it be for now.

 

[notforgotten]

Bonus



"At Easter we rejoice because Christ did not remain in the tomb, his body did not see corruption; he belongs to the world of the living, not to the world of the dead; we rejoice because he is the Alpha and also the Omega, as we proclaim in the rite of the Paschal Candle; he lives not only yesterday, but today and for eternity (cf. Heb 13:8).

But somehow the Resurrection is situated so far beyond our horizon, so far outside all our experience that, returning to ourselves, we find ourselves continuing the argument of the disciples: Of what exactly does this “rising” consist? What does it mean for us, for the whole world and the whole of history? A German theologian once said ironically that the miracle of a corpse returning to life - if it really happened, which he did not actually believe - would be ultimately irrelevant precisely because it would not concern us. In fact, if it were simply that somebody was once brought back to life, and no more than that, in what way should this concern us? But the point is that Christ’s Resurrection is something more, something different. If we may borrow the language of the theory of evolution, it is the greatest “mutation”, absolutely the most crucial leap into a totally new dimension that there has ever been in the long history of life and its development: a leap into a completely new order which does concern us, and concerns the whole of history."

~ Pope Benedict XVI

w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20060415_veglia-pasquale.html

Not a return to normal bodily life - our body will be transformed -though remain of course our body as that of Jesus did…

A spiritual body - not as our body is now.

Truly though a body - not “a spirit” …not like a ghost etc.

Glorified!

Not “flesh” in the *other sense *of the word -referring to corruptable and mortal. (see the first part of CCC 990)

(remember the word “flesh” gets used in various senses in Scripture…it can be rather confusing…if one does realize this. Paul means very particular senses.)

But yes glorifed flesh in the sense of his glorifed body.

Rather - imperishable, glorified and with power …

Wonderfully so!

I like your answer. I just have one last question…if someone were to believe that Jesus is now in a glorified spiritual body, would they be considered an Unorthodox Catholic? How important is it? I have read that about one-fourth of Catholics are doctrinally conservative. Many priests and members tend to accept liberal, pluralist beliefs contrary to church teaching.

 

[Bookcat]

I like your answer. I just have one last question…if someone were to believe that Jesus is now in a glorified spiritual body, would they be considered an Unorthodox Catholic? How important is it? I have read that about one-fourth of Catholics are doctrinally conservative. Many priests and members tend to accept liberal, pluralist beliefs contrary to church teaching.

Your welcome. I think part of your difficulty is the variant meanings of certain words and mistaking what is meant or not meant with this or that teaching or Scripture.

To answer your further question:

One must profess what the Church Professes -not something else contrary (that would be to embrace error and depart from orthodoxy). Tis very important.

And the Resurrection is at the very heart of the Faith.

So what I have noted above from the Catechism is what we are to believe and profess (for it is the truth…)

Conservative is a political term -not so much a theological one.

We are to Profess the Catholic Faith (fully!).

Priests or Laity who knowingly depart from the Churches teachings -are doing just that - departing from the Churches Teachings - not professing and living the Faith fully. Which is not good…

Let us joyfully give our complete “Yes!”.

In Jesus Christ the Risen Lord and thus in his Church - is true life.

 

[Bookcat]

I .

PS a side note. I mentioned the Catechism in the last post so I need to say a bit more about it and theology. In the Catechism there are different kinds of teachings (see introduction etchttp://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/aposcons.htm ) -so some things have more weight than others or are of a different sort etc- so I do not want to give an impression otherwise. But it is a “sure norm” for Teaching the Catholic Faith. One too will have all sorts of varied “theological opinions and schools of thought” within “orthodox Catholic Theology” - faithful to the Church.

Returning to the Resurrection though- it is very central to the Christian life and Faith. Jesus is Risen and remains with his Risen Glorified body (see the Catechism, the Gospels, Acts, St. Paul, St. Johns Letter, Creeds etc). And we too will have a glorified body like his.

 

[Bookcat]

if someone were to believe that Jesus is now in a glorified spiritual body, would they be considered an Unorthodox Catholic?

(The phrase “in” a body I would say not be putting it right. (for example I am not “in” my body - I am my body and soul) (but I will set that aside for now))

If one means the that Jesus has the same glorified flesh - the same glorified body that he rose with at Easter - and ascended with?

If by “glorified spiritual body” -one means what the Church Teaches (with the Scriptures) - well is that not professing the Faith??

Not sure here your question.

Catechism:

1017 “We believe in the true resurrection of this flesh that we now possess” (Council of Lyons II: DS 854). We sow a corruptible body in the tomb, but he raises up an incorruptible body, a “spiritual body” (cf. 1 Cor 15:42-44).

999 How? Christ is raised with his own body: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself”; but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, “all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,” but Christ “will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body,” into a “spiritual body”:

But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel. . . . What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. . . . The dead will be raised imperishable. . . . For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a11.htm#999

 

[notforgotten]

(The phrase “in” a body I would say not be putting it right. (for example I am not “in” my body - I am my body and soul) (but I will set that aside for now))

If one means the that Jesus has the same glorified flesh - the same glorified body that he rose with at Easter - and ascended with?

If by “glorified spiritual body” -one means what the Church Teaches (with the Scriptures) - well is that not professing the Faith??

Not sure here your question.

Catechism:

1017 “We believe in the true resurrection of this flesh that we now possess” (Council of Lyons II: DS 854). We sow a corruptible body in the tomb, but he raises up an incorruptible body, a “spiritual body” (cf. 1 Cor 15:42-44).

999 How? Christ is raised with his own body: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself”; but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, “all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,” but Christ “will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body,” into a “spiritual body”:

But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel. . . . What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. . . . The dead will be raised imperishable. . . . For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a11.htm#999

Here, doctrine suggests that I am within the parameters of Church teaching, saying that Jesus is now in a “glorified spiritual body.”

999 How? Christ is raised with his own body: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself”; but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, “all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,” but Christ “will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body,” into a “spiritual body”:

 

[notforgotten]

I took the time to read the thread again. Jesus and Mother Mary have ascended both in spirit and flesh, in a glorified body. They remain to this day in the same glorified body. I understand. I want to thank all those who participated in this thread. You were a great help .

 

[Bookcat]

Here, doctrine suggests that I am within the parameters of Church teaching, saying that Jesus is now in a “glorified spiritual body.”

999 How? Christ is raised with his own body: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself”; but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, “all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,” but Christ “will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body,” into a “spiritual body”:

As I noted:

“If by “glorified spiritual body” -one means what the Church Teaches (with the Scriptures) - well is that not professing the Faith??”

…

Yes if one understands that phrase the way the Scriptures and thus the Church understand them (setting aside the word “in” there for the body is not something we are “in” but is part of us.)

Christs body and thus what our body will be - is not like his body prior to his Crucifixion - not as our body is now. It will be a glorified body. (a spiritual body in the sense meant by Paul and the Teachings of the Church–which does not mean “a spirit”).

 

[Bookcat]

I took the time to read the thread again. Jesus and Mother Mary have ascended both in spirit and flesh, in a glorified body. They remain to this day in the same glorified body. I understand. I want to thank all those who participated in this thread. You were a great help .

Great! Glad we could help.

Reading a few times those sections of the Catechism on this subject too can even further help the subject be understood deeper.

It is a splendid topic and a splendid reality!