POPE BENEDICT: “Only the body”

 by Sr. Theresa Okure, SHCJ

REPORT:
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lying in Mater Ecclesiae Monastery. Dressed in traditional attire that popes wear upon passing, he is not wearing pallium as he is an emeritus bishop. Also noteworthy, there is no crozier next to his remains, which would be typical for a reigning pontiff who passed.”

Commentary by Sr. OKURE:
Very interesting. He doesn’t need and won’t need any of these decorations, including those on his corpse. When Jesus rose from the dead, he left behind in the tomb all the trappings they put on him. He went with the only thing God gave him: his body: “A body you have given me”.

“In the body he was put to death”. In the body he rose from the dead. In the body “he went about doing good because God was with him” (Acts 10:38). In his body the fullness of divinity dwelt and was pleased to dwell (Col 2:9). With the body he feeds and nourishes us substantially.  In the body he incorporates all humanity, as the new adam (Eph 2:15), a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17). He will judge all nations by what they did or didn’t do to the body of his human siblings: “I was hungry and you gave me to eat…” (Matt 25:31-46). Awareness of this truth calls for serious reflection and rethinking of what we each do with the body, God’s unique gift to each of us. One that Jesus will raise from the dead on the last day. Also what we do to each other as the body of Christ.