Friends, on this Easter we should remember that Jesus is not just a soul that’s gone to heaven. The resurrected Christ, as Paul said, is the first fruits of a new life. A whole new human nature has appeared and emerged.
Resurrection can’t simply mean, as many contemporary authors want us to believe, that the cause of Jesus goes on. (As though you listen to the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven and the society of Beethoven lovers says, “Well, the spirit of Beethoven goes on.”) People don’t give their whole lives, don’t go to the end of the world preaching, don’t go to their death in support of a vague metaphor. What galvanized the first Christians was that Jesus – the crucified one who had died-is now alive again.
On this Easter, we Christians must avoid another problem: seeing the Resurrection simply as a return to this life. Lazarus was raised from the dead, only to die again. He still belonged to the realm of death. When Lazarus came forth, he was still wearing his grave clothes. He still belonged, in some way, to the tomb.
That’s not what happens in the Resurrection. When Jesus rises from the dead, He leaves his grave clothes behind. Jesus now lives a new life exalted through the power of the Father. His relationship to space and time is now completely changed. He passes through locked doors. He comes and goes as he pleases.
Jesus is the first fruit of a new way of being, a new life. It’s still a human life, but it is now lived at a higher pitch of intensity. This is such good news for us because this is what God intends for all of us: that we now will share in the risen life of Jesus.
It’s our human life – yes, still bodily – but now lived at a higher level, spiritualized and glorified.
BUT HOW DO YOU LIVE IN THIS HUMAN WORLD A HIGHER LEVEL, SPIRITUALULIZED AND GLORIFIED LIFE AND BE BLESSED WITH THE MATERIAL GOODS I WANT. The expierences I Have is only problems with the cathlic life and also in the negative life. So looks like being in middle is the best but I need to be blessed HOW DO YOU DO THAT.
Hi Marck, Being in the middle is definitely not the best way to go about it. I do sympathize with you, I think all of us go through the same, to a different extent. But the Lord said that the path of salvation is hard and narrow. I would suggest you stick to your faith. Pray as often and as hard as you can. Ask God to help you and lead you on every decision. About being in the world … We can be in the world but we dont have to think and live as the world would have us to. Material goods are not bad per se, being too caught up on material wealth is! Do everything you do for the Glory of God. Let your main purpose in life be that of being good in the eyes of God. Not rich and popular in the eyes of other fellow men.
God Bless,
H