Nov 18, 2006

Glorified Body on the Road to Emmaus

Catharina Senensis of The Cornell Society for a Good Time has initiated a great discussion on the sex of the resurrected body. A couple of persons have noted that Catharina has proposed "a fine question... one fit for Thomas' Summa." I'd like to add a few points for further consideration.

One of the stories in the Gospels that I've pondered a lot over the years is the story of Jesus' appearance on the road to Emmaus, as told in Luke 24:13-32. Two of Jesus' disciples were walking away from Jerusalem the day after His Resurrection from the dead. The Bible says Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them. The disciples talked with Him as a stranger about the happenings in Jerusalem and Scripture, apparently for some time, and finally asked Him to abide with them for the evening. They ate together, but did not recognize Jesus until the breaking of the bread.

How was it that they did not recognize Jesus? I speculate that Jesus, in his glorified body after His Resurrection from the dead, had the appearance of a young man, even as the boy He was when His Mother, Mary, and His foster-father, St. Joseph, found Him in the Temple.

Personally, I like the idea of having a young glorified body when we are free of sexual concerns, yet we still retain our identity as male and female. Was Jesus implying this when He said that we must be as children to enter heaven?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Your idea, of course, is anathama to a Muslim. What reason would there be for going to heaven if many virgins were not there to entertain him!