The in-depth discussion of death by His Excellency Bishop Raffaello Martinelli, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Frascati, continues and concludes.
You can read the first and second parts of the text on our blog.

What is the basis of our faith concerning the resurrection of our body?

It is founded on:
• faith in God, who “is not God of the dead, but of the living” (Mk 12:27);
• Jesus Christ, who:
– he said: “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (Jn 11:25);
– he brought about several “resurrections” during his earthly life: of Lazarus, the son of the widow of Nain, and the daughter of Jairus. These “resurrections,” which were a return to their previous lives, were a sign that he was “the Resurrection,” and foreshadowed his rising;
• he made this solemn promise before dying: “I am going to prepare a place for you; when I have gone and prepared a place for you, I will return and take you with me, so that where I am you also may be” (Jn 14:2-3);
• He freely endured death, and death on the cross, for our salvation: through his death he conquered death, for himself and for all of us;
• He himself rose with his own body, transformed and glorified: “If Christ has not been raised […] your Faith is also in vain” (1Cor 15:14);
• it is also the principle, foundation, and certainty of our resurrection: He is “the firstborn of those who rise from the dead” (Col 1:18); “God, who raised the Lord, will also raise us by his power” (1Cor 6:13).

How will the resurrection of our bodies take place?

Knowing how the resurrection takes place is beyond the capacity of our intellect. It is accessible only through Faith. “Why do people struggle to believe that one day they will live with God, when an even more incredible event has already occurred, namely, that a God died for humanity?” (Saint Augustine, Disc. Guelf., 3).

What is the difference between the resurrection of the body and reincarnation?

There is an enormous difference between the two, because:
• the resurrection is not a return to the previous life, but a new life with a completely transformed body;
• every life is unique and unrepeatable;
• “it is appointed for mortals to die once” (Heb 9:27).

Pope Francis states: “This is not about starting over by being born again, repeating our coming into the world, in the hope that a new reincarnation might reopen our possibility of a better life. This repetition is meaningless. Indeed, it would empty the life we have lived of all meaning, erasing it as though it were a failed experiment, an expired value, a waste void” (General Audience, June 8, 2022).

In what sense does the Christian die and rise again every day?

Every day of life here on earth is, for the Christian, a participation in the Death and Resurrection of Christ, from a:
• sacramental: through the Sacrament of Baptism, we die with Christ to sin (we are freed from sin by Him) and rise to new life, the life of God’s adopted children, members of Christ and His Church, and temples of the Holy Spirit;
• moral: every day we are called to flee from sin, avoid it, repent, and rise from it, so that we may joyfully live each moment as children of God, seeking “the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1).

NB: To explore the topic further, also read the following papal documents:

• CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (CCC), 1992, nos. 988 – 1060;
• COMPENDIUM of the CCC, nos. 202-216;
• CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Letter on Certain Questions Regarding Eschatology, 1979.

The second in-depth article by H.E. Monsignor Raffaello Martinelli on our blog concludes.

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