THE APOSTLES' CREED.
Art. 11:
I believe in the resurrection of the body.

1. These words mean that at the end of the world our bodies will come to life again, becoming reunited to our souls for all eternity.
2. That there will be such a general resurrection is certain, for the Church puts it into her Creeds, and we have Christ's own words: « The hour cometh wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God. They that have done good things shall come unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. » (John V, 28-29.)
3. This resurrection will take place by the power of the Almighty, who can restore life as easily as He originally gave it.
4. In nature we see plants dying down to the ground in winter to spring up again into life at the reawakening of vegetation; so shall the human body one day rise up again out of the corruption of the grave.
5. It will come to life again thus to share with the soul the full reward or punishment for the good or evil deeds, in the performance of which it took its share during life.
6. We shall not all rise up again in the same condition of body. The just will issue forth with glorious, the wicked with hideous and disfigured bodies.
7. The glorious bodies of the just will possess the same characteristics as did Christ's body after His resurrection, viz., impassibility, brightness, agility and subtility (see p.9, paras. 9-13).
8. This general resurrection will immediately precede the general judgment (see p. 10, paras. 5 and 8-9). This is proved by the words of Martha to Jesus: « I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day », in the following passage from St. John (XI, 1-27).

« Now there was a certain man sick named Lazarus, of Bethania, of the town of Mary and of Martha, her sister. And Mary was she that anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. His sister therefore sent to him, saying: « Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. ». And Jesus hearing it, said to them: « This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it. »

« Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus. When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He still remained in the same place two days. Then after that He said to His disciples: « Let us go into Judea again? » The disciples say to Him: « Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again? » Jesus answered: « Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walks in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if he walks in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. » These things He said. And after that he said to them: «Lazarus our friend sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. » His disciples therefore said: « Lord, if he sleeps, he shall do well. » But Jesus spoke of his death, and they thought that He spoke of the repose of sleep. Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly: « Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. But let us go to him. » Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: « Let us also go, that we may die with Him. Jesus therefore came and found that he had been for four days already in the grave. Now Bethania was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off. And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus was come, went to meet Him, but Mary sat at home. Martha therefore said to Jesus: « Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But now also I know that whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee! » Jesus saith to her: « Thy brother shall rise again! » Martha saith to Him: «I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. » Jesus said to her: « I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, although he be dead, shall live. And every one that liveth and believeth in Me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? » She saith to Him: « Yes, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world. »

Explanation of the Plate.

9. The picture represents the resurrection of the dead. In the centre of the picture, in the midst of the general disorder into which nature is plunged, we see angels sounding the trumpet to call men to the judgment. The graves open and the dead rise up out of the dust. Among them is a king who has kept his crown, and a bishop who, on coming again to life, finds before him, ready to hand his pontifical vestments.
10. At the top of the picture the Cross appears aloft in the air, all resplendent with light and surrounded by angelic spirits. The sight of the Cross comforts the good, who stretch out their arms longingly towards it, while the wicked are terrified by it, shrinking away with dread from it and praying that the mountains may fall down upon them and crush them into nothingness.
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