Self-glorification of the body has become our worship. Yet, Paul tells us to glorify God with our body.
Our culture, however, focuses on personal enhancement through exercise, diet, and even surgeries. Society declares we stay in style adorning ourselves with jewelry, garments, and perfumes to be attractive. Beauticians embellish our looks and make up covers all our flaws. Sadly we sanctify our bodies, forgetting they are temples of the Holy Spirit.
With all the effort, money and exercise, our bodies fail and die but there is one exception, Jesus Christ! Though His body — His humanity — was defaced, disfigured, and ultimately dehumanized, He rose bodily from the dead. The wounds and piercings were healed. The human soul was restored and He came back to life — glorified in His Body!
Christianity is the only religion that believes not merely in the resurrection of the dead, we believe also in the glorification of the human body. It is the dwelling place of God.
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (John 14:23).
We are bodies with immortal souls dwelling within through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is our Life by which our souls are purified and sealed. In this communion with the Spirit, we have everlasting life, where our souls re-unite with our bodies having been perfected by the Holy Spirit.
It is easy to minimize the resurrection of Jesus as we are too familiar with the notion. But to see the resurrected Jesus not just as He was, but glorified, and transfigured into the Human yet Divine Presence of God, is hard to fathom. Harder yet, we too are to be transfigured and participate in his divine life through the coming of the Holy Spirit.
This Spirit, the Paraclete, strengthens and comforts us as we grow in perfection. He also infuses in us his counsel and knowledge to have rightness of choice. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit is our advocate and guide Who governs our lives. Yet for Him to govern, we have to obey his inspirations.
Obedience today challenges us due to the distrust in others, especially in authority. Our distrust of humans is understandable, but never should we distrust the Holy Spirit.
To trust the Spirit docility empowers us for we willingly open our minds to the Truth of Jesus and also the revelations unveiled in the Scriptures. Trust gives us peace of mind so that we do not fear but have faith—trust—in the Spirit Who teaches us all things.