Signs of something far more marvelous
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 1, 2012 (13B)
By Father Cusick 

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Jesus' raising the dead to life was remarkable, his healing of the woman afflicted with a hemorrhage was remarkable, but the prophets had also healed the sick, the blind and the lame and the prophets had also raised the dead. These raisings and healings were a return to or restoration of earthly existence only.

There is something more offered to us in Jesus that sets him completely apart as the Christ. Just as it was so for the prophets, so with Christ, these miraculous events are signs only of something far more marvelous: eternal life. Our resurrection will be possible only in and with the divine person: Jesus Christ. We must be in bodily union with him if we wish to be raised from the dead to the glorified state of resurrection as he was.

Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: 'I am the Resurrection and the life." (John 11:25) It is Jesus himself who on the last day will raise up those who have believed in him, who have eaten his body and drunk his blood. (Cf. John 5: 24-25; 6:40, 54.) Already now in this present life he gives a sign and pledge of this by restoring some of the dead to life, (Cf. Mark 5:21-42; Luke 7: 11-17; John 11) announcing thereby his own Resurrection, though it was to be of another order. He speaks of this unique as the 'sign of Jonah,' (Matthew 12:39) the sign of the temple: he announces that he will be put to death but rise thereafter on the third day. (Cf. Mark 10:34; John 2: 19-22) (CCC 994)

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