The holy women, terrified by the earthquake, knew not what to do. The angel reassured them. “Fear not, for I know you seek Jesus who was crucified.” (Mk 16:6)
The same angel had so alarmed the soldiers on guard that they fled. Why this difference in his action?
The presence of the soldiers and the holy women was for very opposite reasons. Perversity and unbelief had brought the former; love and faith the latter.
Whenever we feel disturbed, we must also go to Jesus crucified. Kneel for a few seconds before the crucifix and we will speedily recover strength and peace of mind.
The angel reassures the holy women as he announces the mystery of the Resurrection. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, for he is risen, as he said.” (Lk 24:5-6) Come and see. “Going in, they found not the body of the Lord.” (cf Lk 24:3) Convincing proof!
What would be our happiness, how great the joy of our brothers, if, risen spiritually with Christ, we were indeed changed. If our words and conduct proved we had left behind our evil habits, our many imperfections! We must join our numerous efforts ‘constantly’, ‘perseveringly’ to the divine grace offered to us this holy season.
“Go quickly, tell his disciples that he is risen.” (Mt 28:6) These were the words of the angel to his overjoyed hearers. See in them the loving kindness of our Lord. All his disciples had fled from his Passion. After his death they had seemed to discredit the prediction of his resurrection. They yielded to excessive grief, as if his cause and their own were hopeless.
Nevertheless, our Lord hastens to console, reassure, and encourage his disciples by the voice of the angel and the holy women, although they seemed to deserve punishment instead of gracious favors. But Jesus only follows the loving-kindness of his Sacred Heart.
Acknowledge that it is to the loving kindness of this Sacred Heart we owe so many natural and supernatural graces. During many years, our sins have grieved this Divine Heart. Our love had been feeble and lukewarm.
Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp202-4
Unity among Christians
“The company of those who believed were of one heart and soul.” (Acts 4:32) These words summarize the deep unity and fraternal love of the first Christians, which attracted so much attention from their fellow citizens. “The disciples bore testimony to the Resurrection not only with their words but also with their virtues.” (St John Chrysostom, “Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles”, 11)
Christ expressly wished this Church unity from the very start. He speaks of one Pastor (cf Jn 10:16); emphasizes the Kingdom which cannot be divided (cf Mt 12:25), of the building with a single foundation (cf Mt 16:18). This unity was always founded on the profession of one faith, observance of a single form of worship; and submission to a sole hierarchical authority, constituted by Christ.
“There is only one Church of Jesus Christ which is like a big tree into which we are all grafted. It’s a matter of a deep vital unity which is a gift from God. It is not merely, nor above all, an external unity; it is a mystery and a gift ...
“This unity then is shown around him who in each diocese has been constituted as Shepherd, the Bishop. In the universal Church it is shown around the Pope, the Successor of Peter.” (John Paul II, “Homily”, Madrid, 3 November 1982)
The unity of faith was, among the first Christians, the support of their fortitude and of the inner life which flowed over into the exterior. The same Christian life has been lived since then by very different peoples. “... they shared, experienced and transmitted one single doctrine with the same soul and the same heart and identical voice.” (St Irenaeus, “Adversus Haereses”, 1, 10, 2)
The first Christians defended this unity of theirs to the point of facing persecution and even martyrdom. The Church has always encouraged her children to watch over their precious unity and pray for it. Our Lord prayed for it at the last Supper: “that they all may be one; even as thou, Father, are in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (Jn 17:21).
Unity is a great benefit; we must daily implore it because “every kingdom divided against itself cannot stand” (Mt 12:25).
Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:349-50
The Resurrection Points to the Real Humanism
Why did Christ speak of remission of sins immediately after the words, “Receive the Holy Spirit?” He said, “If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound” (Jn 20:23). Remission of sins supposes knowledge and confession of sins. Both signify ‘effort to live in truth and love’.
It means the action of ‘the power of truth and love’, which forms the new man and transforms the world. The contradiction is ‘falsification’ of the truth and ‘simulation’ of love.
Contradiction is removing the line of demarcation between good and evil; calling humanism what is actually ‘sin’. It would be very easy, unfortunately, to cite examples. Terrorism is rightly condemned as an attack upon and violation of elementary rights of man. Killing of man is condemned as something manifestly contrary to man’s very existence.
At the same time, however, depriving a human being ‘not yet born’ of life is called ‘humanism’; a ‘proof of progress’, emancipation; conforming with human dignity!
Let us not deceive ourselves! We must all denounce such contradictions. Remember, only “the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). Only the truth has power to transform the world towards authentic progress and real ‘humanism’. And let us not call the demands of truth, conscience and dignity a purely ‘political’ choice. Man may not renounce them.
Ref: cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp172-3
Our Lady -- “The love of our Mother will be the breath that kindles into a living flame the embers of virtue that are hidden under the ashes of your indifference.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 492)
In the year 1011, the Blessed Virgin gave the white habit to the blessed Alberic instead of the black which he wore. — See his Life. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
Our Lady of Kieff. Russia. 1010. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
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