Thursday, May 4 : Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise uncorrupted and we shall be changed.” When Paul uses ‘we’ in this passage he means that there will be a sharing with him in this future transformation for those who are united with him and his companions in this age in the fellowship of the Church and of the life of virtue. He also explains the nature of this transformation when he goes on to say: “For this corruptible nature must put on incorruptibility and this mortal nature must put on immortality” (1Cor 15,52-53). Therefore to ensure in such cases that a transformation results then which is a just reward, there is now, in this life, a transformation which is the result of freely given bounty… In this present life it is by grace that the transformation arising from the gift of God is begun in them here by justification, which is a spiritual resurrection. Afterwards it is by grace that in the resurrection of the body, when that transformation of the justified is made complete, there will result a perfect glorification… So the free gift of justification first, and then the free gift of glorification, will bring about in them the result that that glorification cannot be changed and will remain for ever. Here they are changed by the first resurrection by which they are enlightened to conversion. By this they pass from death to life, from wickedness to righteousness, from unbelief to faith, from wicked deeds to a holy way of life. As a result the second death has no power over them. It is to them that the words of the Apocalypse apply: “Blessed are they who share in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power” (Rv 20,6)… Thus anyone who does not wish to be condemned to the eternal punishment of the second death should hasten to become a sharer in the first resurrection in this life. If anyone is changed in this present life by fear of God and passes from a wicked to a good life, then he passes from death to life, and afterward he will be changed from a humble, lowly state to glory.
Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team
