Simple Thoughts on the Rosary: Glorious Mysteries: The Resurrection
The Resurrection restores Him to them the same as before, if any thing, more tender, because there was more to overlook, more need to reassure. What a delight it is to see Him come back to us Himself, unchanged, unchilled by the touch of death, unsevered from the sympathies of earth by the glorious state on which He has entered; no whit less human because now the Divinity displays itself—“Jesus yesterday, to-day, and the same for ever” (Heb. 13).
There are hearts so wrung with anguish by the leave-taking at the grave, that they refuse to believe in the survival of earth’s dear ties beyond. They are not heartbroken because they deny themselves this consolation: but because they are heartbroken they will not accept it. To such as these our Lord offers His Sacred Human Heart after the Resurrection for their instruction and comfort. What loving eagerness He shows to be with His “brethren” once again. He abridges as far as possible the three days of separation. He anticipates the appointed meeting in Galilee by appearing six times at least on the very day of His Resurrection. He hastens from one to another of His friends. The thought uppermost in His mind seems to be the happiness His new and glorious life will bring to those He loves. His Resurrection is not the pledge only, it is the prototype of ours: “It hath not yet appeared what we shall be. But we know that we shall be like to Him” (I. John 3). Does not this suffice to satisfy and more than satisfy every desire? We shall be like Him. In retaining all that was noble and beautiful of the affections of earth; in the intensified because purified love of those bound to us by the ties of kindred and friendship; in sympathy with them closer and tenderer than any we know now—we shall be like Him.
We may lift up our lightened hearts, then, to those who have gone before us “with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace,’ remembering they are ours still and are to be restored to us one day as ours. ‘The God of all consolation” will give back to us those from whom we were parted for a time, dearer beyond measure for the parting, and for the new grace and beauty that have blossomed out in the sunshine of their eternal life. They will meet us at the | gates of Heaven and we shall know them at once as our own. No need for them to say as they greet us with loving welcome: “See that it is I myself.”
And God shall wipe away tears from all eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.—Apoc. xxi.
VIII.—Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?—Luke xxiv.
See our Lord rising triumphant from the grave on Easter Day. See those sacred members radiant with the glory of their new life. Each has gone through its Passion and borne its share, suffering in its appointed place, for the appointed time, patiently, perseveringly, to the end. Each has been in full sympathy with the Head. Fittingly, then, does each share in the glory that now from that glorious Head flows down upon all.
Thus was it with the members of His mystical body who had stood round the Cross. The pain of each had been foreseen, measured out, appointed from eternity. And so was the joy that from their Head irradiated all, not gladdening all alike, but in proportion to the sufferings and dispositions of each. There was the joy of the holy women, the joy of Magdalen, the Mother’s joy, like her love, immeasurably outstripping all.
Thus will it be with each and every one of His members unto the end. Therefore St. Peter bids us rejoice when we suffer with Christ “that when His glory shall be revealed we may also be glad with exceeding joy” (I. Peter 4). To be with Jesus of Nazareth costs for a little while. But it is to be our joy throughout eternity. To all who are faithful to Him here He says as to His dear apostles: “You now indeed have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you” (John 16).
The Divine Child made His offering in the Temple with the knowledge that it would be accepted to the full. When the time came for Him to redeem the pledge He had given us, He was ready. “I do not resist: I have not gone back” (Isaias 50). And when His chalice had been drained to the dregs, and Easter morning had dawned, and He was striving on that Sabbath day’s walk to instruct and cheer two of His disciples to whom the Passion had been a scandal, He said simply: “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things?” He was but fulfilling His engagement. Was it not to be expected of Christ that He would have a suffering life and a death of shame?
We can trust our Lord thoroughly. We can always depend on Him. What He undertakes He will carry through. What He promises He will fulfil. Can the same be said of me? Am I as good as my word? I have undertaken to follow Him, bearing my cross. When the cross comes to me in my daily life, can I say with Him: “I do not resist: I have not gone back. Ought not I to suffer these things”?
From first to last throughout the history of the elect the law holds good—death the road to resurrection and eternal life, and the only road. Are Enoch and Elias at least to be exempt? We might think so when we read of the stupendous powers given to them in the days of their prophecy: “I will give unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred sixty days... And if any man will hurt them, fire shall come out of their mouths, and shall devour their enemies. And if any man will hurt them, in this manner must he be slain. These have power to shut heaven and they have power over waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues as often as they will” (Apoc. 11). How, then, shall these witness to the Lamb that was slain? How shall these servants be as their Master?
“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the abyss, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them and kill them. And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city where their Lord also was crucified... for three days and a half. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry ... And after three days and a half, the spirit of life from God entered into them. And they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them that saw them: And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them” (Id.).
“As you are partakers of the sufferings of Christ, so shall you be also of the consolation” (II. Cor. 1). “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him” (II. Tim. 2). Such is the universal law of Christ’s kingdom. Have I any wish but to fulfil it, when, and how, and in the measure appointed for me?
IX.—Christ is risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep.—1 Cor. xv.
(1) God hath both raised up the Lord, and will raise up us also by His power (I. Cor. 6).
(2) Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Glorify and bear God in your body (Id).
(3) We look for that life which God will give to those that never change their faith from Him (Tobias 2).
(4) We are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when He shall appear we shall be like to Him, because we shall see Him as He is (I. John 3).
(5) If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them who have slept through Jesus will God bring with Him (Thess. 4).
(6) Wherefore expect Me, saith the Lord in the day of My Resurrection that is to come.... In that day thou shalt not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against Me.
The Lord will rejoice over thee with gladness, He will be silent in His love, He will be joyful over thee in praise (Sophon. 3).
(7) In that day you shall see the difference between the just and the wicked: between him that serveth God, and him that serveth Him not (Malach. 3).
(8) Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art called (I. Tim. 6).
(9) Keep yourselves in the love of God (Jude 1). And wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come (I. Thess. 1).
(10) I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth. And I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see my God. Whom I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and not another: this my hope is laid up in my bosom (Job 19).