C
CHRISTINE77
Guest
After we die our souls are taken to heaven, hell or purgatory. Later, at the second coming our bodies will join our souls. Why do we need our earthy bodies in the afterlife?
- Status
C
COPLAND_3
Guest
St. Augustine made a wonderful statement, “There are 3 unions, body and soul, husband and wife, and Christ in the Church.”
D
Della
Guest
God created man to be an entity comprised of body, mind, spirit, and soul. The fall of man corrupted the body, but it was always meant to be a part of who we are. Jesus’ resurrection shows us quite clearly that God does not intend for us to be disembodied spirits, but physical beings living in a physical universe. Scripture tells us there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Exactly what our place in that new creation will be we don’t know, but it will be like us, I imagine after our bodily resurrection, beautiful, harmonious, and filled with God’s grace. Sounds good to me! 
E
Eucharisted
Guest
God created us body and soul.
He permits death for our relief from this valley of tears.
He will raise us to restore us body and soul.
Just as with the Children of Israel.
He created them for the Kingdom.
He permitted their exile for their relief from evil.
He brought them out of exile to Jerusalem.
Read the vision of the bones.
He permits death for our relief from this valley of tears.
He will raise us to restore us body and soul.
Just as with the Children of Israel.
He created them for the Kingdom.
He permitted their exile for their relief from evil.
He brought them out of exile to Jerusalem.
Read the vision of the bones.
B
bpbasilphx
Guest
Our bodies will not be earthly, but will be changed into the same kind Jesus had at the Resurrection.
C
centurionguard
Guest
God created man to be an entity comprised of body, mind, spirit, and soul. The fall of man corrupted the body, but it was always meant to be a part of who we are. Jesus’ resurrection shows us quite clearly that God does not intend for us to be disembodied spirits, but physical beings living in a physical universe. Scripture tells us there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Exactly what our place in that new creation will be we don’t know, but it will be like us, I imagine after our bodily resurrection, beautiful, harmonious, and filled with God’s grace. Sounds good to me!
Rather odd. I never really thought the human soul as being disembodied in it’s original supernatural God created state particularly when our spiritual goal in this life is to empty and mortify our senses atributed to our primitive desires of the flesh. This (“physical” essence that you speak about in a new heaven and new earth must take on the quality of a supernatural essence"). Correct me if I’m wrong but, at least that’s how I perceive it articulated by any means through limited human intellect. What our “new” created state of being will become in heaven goes beyond any practical human description, suffice to say it will be in a beautiful supernatural state beheld in God’s glorious image.
C
CHRISTINE77
Guest
Thanks everyone for your great answers, but I am still a little confused about what we will be like BEFORE we receive our bodies. According to the Bible, there are those in Heaven who have their bodies, like the ones who came out of their graves when Jesus died. But how about all those people who have died since then, yet don’t have bodies? What is Heaven (or Purgatory or Hell) like for people still waiting for their bodies? Just a bunch of disembodied souls wafting around like ghosts?
H
heathernoel
Guest
I am curious too. See, my Mom was totally riddled with cancer. It took her jaw, her tongue, and left her less than 100 pounds (not that she weighed over 110 to begin with). She wanted to be cremated because she just couldn’t imagine God letting her keep the shell she would leave behind.
What about my sons who were cremated with the Church’s knowledge? Will I get to see their little bodies again? Since He can do anything, is it too much to hope that He can bring them back again?
What about my sons who were cremated with the Church’s knowledge? Will I get to see their little bodies again? Since He can do anything, is it too much to hope that He can bring them back again?
M
Mintaka
Guest
Re: physical resurrection
St. Macrina the Younger talked about this way back in the days of the Roman Empire. She pointed out that there’s nothing to prevent God, who made all things, remaking all things even from the very atoms that used to compose them. Her theory was that our souls would have the power to remember our atoms and draw them together again. (Greek science on atoms wasn’t at all the same as our kind of atoms… but if God’s giving out supernatural powers, who knows what our souls can do.)
And I guess, since God knows all the stars by name, there’s nothing preventing him knowing all our atoms and molecules by name. Whether our bodies decayed away to dust or were burnt.
Of course, when we are made new, we will be brought back in not just perfect shape, but better than before. So there’s no particular need to worry about being in bad shape when you died. But it will be our very own bodies that will rise again, albeit a “new and improved” version.
St. Macrina the Younger talked about this way back in the days of the Roman Empire. She pointed out that there’s nothing to prevent God, who made all things, remaking all things even from the very atoms that used to compose them. Her theory was that our souls would have the power to remember our atoms and draw them together again. (Greek science on atoms wasn’t at all the same as our kind of atoms… but if God’s giving out supernatural powers, who knows what our souls can do.)
And I guess, since God knows all the stars by name, there’s nothing preventing him knowing all our atoms and molecules by name. Whether our bodies decayed away to dust or were burnt.
Of course, when we are made new, we will be brought back in not just perfect shape, but better than before. So there’s no particular need to worry about being in bad shape when you died. But it will be our very own bodies that will rise again, albeit a “new and improved” version.
E
Eucharisted
Guest
No one knows, but Jesus told Saint Faustina that the beauty of Heaven is greater than the beauty of a garden. Also, there was another saint who experienced such a great share in the joy of God that he exclaimed, “Lord, if this is Heaven, it is enough!” To which the Lord said, “You have a poor perspective. Your share is as but a painting of the sky compared to the real sky.” Yet another saint lying dying, and as he prayed for help he heard a beautiful melody which no man could sing. He cried out, “Ah, the souls in Purgatory, they are praying for me!” Now if those soul who are not yet in Heaven have such beautiful voices, imagine the voices of the Heavenly Court and Church Triumphant! So you see we must use earthly things to reflect upon Heaven; it is as a garden, an ecstasy, a melody. For this reason, some believe the Earth reflects Heaven, just as the earthly liturgy reflects the heavenly liturgy, yet, while the Earth dose reflect the glory of God, just as all creations and creatures do, it cannot be said with certainty that what is material reflects what is spiritual, nor visa-verca, though it can be said with certainly that the liturgy of Earth reflects the liturgy of Heaven and that all good things reflect the glory of God.
R
Reuben_J
Guest
While we cannot really comprehend what we will look like in heaven (we will look like God), body is certainly part of this composition though it maybe not in the way we know it is now. The Bible is very clear about resurrected bodies.
We are told too by the Bible that we are made of body, mind and spirit. The mystery of etrenal life is that human does not perish. Though the body is perishable it will rise up on the last day.
Jesus was resurrected in his body which could be seen, felt and touched. Always wonder what it was like for Thomas when he touched those wounds.
God bless.
C
crowcounty
Guest
so you’re perturbed about getting your body back? I hope i get some tattoos.
C
CHRISTINE77
Guest
In this life, or the next?
C
CHRISTINE77
Guest
Thanks - that was beautiful!:heaven:
R
rocketrob
Guest
This is an interesting question, and I’m not sure we know this answer for sure. One thing to keep in mind is that God is not limited by or subject to the dimension of ‘time.’ Its possible that we will not perceive a ‘time’ of being separated from our bodies once we are taken out of the timeline of this earthly life.
rocketrob
- Status