Commentaria in Summam contra Gentiles, Liber IV

After St. Thomas determined concerning the place of glorified bodies¹, he consequently determines concerning the sex and age of those who rise again. And he posits two conclusions.

I. The first is: In the bodies of those who rise again, the female sex will not be lacking, as some have thought. It is proved. Nothing of those things that pertain to the perfection of nature will be taken away from the bodies of those who rise again, because through the resurrection the defects of nature are to be repaired; but those things that serve generation both in males and in females pertain to the integrity of the human body. Therefore etc.

Nor does it stand in the way, first, that there will be no use of these members, for neither will there be any use of the members serving the nutritive power, and yet those members will not be lacking. For it is said that members of this kind will exist for the restoration of the integrity of the natural body.

Nor does it stand in the way, second, that such a sex is weak. Both because this weakness is not through a departure from nature, but is intended by nature, namely universal nature; and because the very distinction of nature in all things² will demonstrate the perfection of nature; and because it will show forth the divine wisdom ordering all things with a certain order.

Nor does it stand in the way, third, the saying of the Apostle, Ephes. iv, that we shall all meet into a perfect man: because that is not understood with respect to the male sex, but with respect to the perfection and virtue of the Church, which as a whole will be as it were a perfect man meeting Christ—understand, with respect to the perfection and virtue of the soul.

II. The second conclusion is: All will rise again in the age of Christ, which is the youthful age. It is proved. In this age alone is the perfection of nature; for childhood has not yet attained this through growth, while old age has already departed from it through decline. Therefore etc.

It is to be observed that the fact that all will rise again in the youthful age is not to be understood with respect to the number of years, but with respect to the state of perfection, as St. Thomas says in the Fourth Book³. For there will be the same state of perfection in all, which is accustomed to belong to men, according to the common course, in the youthful age.