Physical Resurrection

The environment is suffering from our ignorance

In the month of February I did a sermon on climate change. If the planet continues to rise in temperature, more ice will melt and there will be more water in liquid form in the world. Some people have doubts about this reality: climate change. Other people do recognize the reality that the climate is changing but say: it doesn’t matter. Why?

We have a problem. The problem is a limited perspective that says that the salvation of Christ only matters in the spirit and not in the physical. Sometimes some Christians do not want to take care of the environment because they think that the planet and all physical reality will be destroyed by God and it is not worth it. This perspective is limited and dangerous, because if we do not take care of the planet we will ask for our ability to live well. We will ask for our home that God gave us.

In the book of facts Peter says that Jesus Christ died because of the ignorance of the leaders. He says that Jesus Christ was the author of life, and that we put the author of life to death. This is horrible and is a description of what we are doing. We kill the author of life while we kill the planet. But we don’t have to stay that way. We can learn and open our minds.

The solution is to learn a bigger perspective. 

Two weeks ago I received the second dose of the Covid vaccine. I asked the pharmacist to take a photo. He told me that you cannot take a picture during the administration of the vaccine, but afterwards, yes. Then she graciously took my photo. The photo I put on social networks to encourage my relatives and acquaintances that they also receive the vaccine. I wrote a short prayer thanking God for the vaccine and for inspiring the doctors and scientists to create the vaccines. I noticed that the next day another pastor I know also put up her vaccine photo, but instead of writing a sentence like me, she simply wrote, “Thanks science!” When I saw it for the first time, I thought for a moment noticing the difference, I felt happy, and I thought: cool! I agree. Thanks science! I like this attitude of gratitude for science. It is because of science that we know so much about the world, and we have discovered so many solutions to the problems that exist. Science helps us to get out of the ignorance that makes us put the author of life to the dead. 

Science is not perfect. Nor is it clean. Science is a slow and dirty learning process. There are many mistakes and theories that are not good. But it is a beautiful, very important, and necessary process. It is very similar to our theology of being saved by grace and not works. If you read the history of science you will notice that many of the discoveries are accidents and moments of divine inspiration after a long time of mistakes. There is no shame or shame for making mistakes out of ignorance. This is why Peter said in his sermon in the book of Acts that there is forgiveness for sins. Learning from our mistakes and sins is the grace of God. If you have suffered from mistakes you have made, don’t worry, don’t be so hard on yourself. Accept the grace of God. Trust that you can learn and improve! You are saved by the grace of God through faith!

The good news is that the resurrection renews all life.

Jesus Christ, in the reading of Saint Luke, opened the minds of the disciples. Jesus explained the scriptures in a way for them to understand the meaning of his resurrection. The resurrection of Christ was not something only spiritual, but something physical as well. The salvation and eternal life that we have through the resurrection of Christ is for now and for eternity. It is for the physical and the spiritual: united. In the past we did harm to the planet because we do not understand that the resurrection of Christ included physical life. Consider each reading for today.

1. In fact there is the healing of someone who could not walk. Peter said that healing occurred by faith through Christ. Faith has physical results in this world. 
2. Psalm 4 speaks of the anguish a person can feel in this world. The advice of the psalmist is that when we put faith in God we can sleep peacefully even though the world is difficult. Our emotions and the quality of life we ​​have are enhanced by the faith that God gives us.
3. In 1 John we read that God’s children who have faith work for justice. God does not leave this world. God does justice. God is making a just and good world for all living beings. 
4. In the holy gospel we have such a simple and powerful tale. When the disciples see Jesus they think he is a spirit. But not. His body after the resurrection was physical. Tomás and the others could touch their hands. And Jesus wanted to eat. They offered grilled fish, and Jesus ate it with gusto. Have you ever imagined if you could eat in heaven? Here is your answer: yes. Eternal life is something physical and good with much joy. 

Thank God for science and our actions, the pandemic is improving. And finally little by little we can physically spend time in person. The desire we have to be together, touch, sing, hug, eat, all these desires are good and are signs of our spiritual and physical nature. The sacraments are bridges of the spiritual and physical. Soon there will come not only the day but the reality that we can eat, touch, and be together with each other and with God physically and spiritually. Amen.