Rising to Dance 复活起舞
Dexu Xia
The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:42
In a widely shared video, an elegant elderly woman sits in a wheelchair. Once a famed ballet dancer, Marta González Saldaña now suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. But something magical happens when Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is played to her. As the music builds, her frail hands slowly rise; and as the first trumpets blast, she starts performing from her chair. Though her mind and body are perishing, her talent is still there.
Reflecting on that video, my thoughts went to Paul’s teaching on resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. Likening our bodies to a seed that is buried before it sprouts into a plant, he says that though our bodies may perish through age or illness, may be a source of dishonor, and may be wracked with weakness, the bodies of believers will be raised imperishable, full of glory and power (vv. 42–44). Just as there is an organic link between the seed and the plant, we will be “us” after our resurrection, our personalities and talents intact, but we will flourish like never before.
When the haunting melody of Swan Lake began to play, Marta at first looked downcast, perhaps mindful of what she once was and could no longer do. But then a man reached over and held her hand. And so it will be for us. Trumpets will blast (v. 52), a hand will reach out, and we’ll rise to dance like never before.
What do you look forward to being able to do after the resurrection? How can this give you hope for loved ones suffering the effects of age?
I praise You, Jesus, that nothing will be lost, but only regained, in the future
所种的是必朽坏的，复活的是不朽坏的。—哥林多前书15章42节
网络上疯传一个优雅老妇人坐在轮椅上的短片，她叫玛塔 · 冈萨雷兹（Marta González Saldaña），曾是纽约市芭蕾舞团的首席芭蕾舞者，如今罹患了阿兹海默症。当有人播放柴可夫斯基的《天鹅湖》给她听时，奇妙的事发生了。随着音乐响起，她那虚弱的双手慢慢举起，当第一声小号响起时，她竟开始在轮椅上以双手翩翩起舞。虽然她的智力和身体日渐朽坏，但她的才华依然存在。
在反思这个短片时，我想到保罗在哥林多前书15章关于复活的教导。他将人的身体比作被埋在土里、尚未发芽长成植物的种子。他说，尽管我们的身体会因年老或疾病而死亡朽坏，身体也可能变得不体面或虚弱不堪。然而，信徒死后将会复活，身体变成不会朽坏、充满荣耀和能力（42-44节）。如同种子和植物之间的关联，我们复活之后仍会是“我们”，我们的个性与才艺仍保持不变，但会绽放前所未有的光彩。
当令人难以忘怀的《天鹅湖》旋律响起时，玛塔起初神情低落，也许是想起自己过去的舞姿，而今却再也无法办到。但随后护理人员牵起她的手，接着她便以双手随音乐起舞。我们也一样，当号角吹响时（52节），耶稣会牵起我们的手，我们将会起来，以前所未有的美丽姿态翩翩起舞。
有哪些事情是你期待复活之后能够做到的？
面对衰老病弱的至亲，
这一事实如何带给你盼望？
耶稣，我赞美祢！
因为在将来与祢面对面的日子，
我们不会有所失去，只会失而复得。