Resurrection

Matthew 22:23 - That same day, some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him.

Just to be clear, resurrection in this passage does not refer to the resurrection of Jesus, but rather to the resurrection of the soul or body for judgement after death. It was not a physical resurrection like the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrected soul would be judged and then go either to everlasting life or to everlasting punishment. This belief was not an intrinsically Jewish belief, but most likely came from Persia; although it could have come from Egypt, Babylonia, or Greek philosophy. The Christian Old Testament only mentions that the dead to to Sheol, which was not a place of punishment.

I would like to suggest a different interpretation of resurrection: the gaining back of the self after having lost it through trauma, abuse or even mental illness. This is how resurrection has worked in my life. I have spent a great deal of my time trying to please others, losing myself in the process. I felt unworthy of love, and had no love to offer anyone else. I suspect Trump might feel just this way. It is a lonely way to live.

Getting my sense of self back took a lot of time, and the process was painful. It took a lot of help from many loving people. It took finding my way back to Christ. Today, I know who I am and I am proud of what I've accomplished. The psych test I took as part of my ordination process was 150 questions long, and I 'pinged' on six. I had marked that I was proud of who I was. When the doctor asked me about that, I told him so. I had just graduated from university with honors and had been voted outstanding senior. Why should I not have been proud? I worked very hard. He was not having it.

Anyway, today, I am no longer ashamed of who I am, the talents God gave me, or what I've done with them. Today, I can take a walk and enjoy the sounds of nature and life being lived. Today, I enjoyed the sight of three deer crossing a street as we came home from the park. Today, I am able to feel true joy. That is resurrection; from a dead spirit inside to the Spirit inside. Resurrection is available to all of us at any time.