The Seven Qualities of a Glorified Body

During the Easter season it is profitable to reflect on the attributes or qualities of our future glorified bodies.  You might say that such reflection will make us thirst for the resurrection!  According to St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica, the glorified, resurrected body will have these seven characteristics:

• Identity – We will retain our original identity; we will be essentially the same persons as before we died. (John 20:11-16)

• Integrity – We will retain all of the parts of our old bodies – our bodies will be complete. (John 20:24-27)

• Quality – Our bodies will be youthful and will retain our original gender. (Rev 1:12-18)

• Impassability – We will be immune from death and pain. (Rev 21:4, I Cor 15:50-57)

• Subtlety – Our bodies will be free from restraint by matter, yet palpable. (John 20:19-23)

• Agility – We will have complete freedom of movement, our souls will direct our bodies without hindrance. (Luke 24:15,31,36)

• Clarity – The glory of our souls will be visible in our bodies.  We will be beautiful and radiant. (Rev 4:3, I Cor 15:40)