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
Alliance of the Two Hearts and Communion of Reparation
The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary beat as one in perfect harmony with the Will of the Father. The devotion that has developed from these Two Hearts -- the 'Communion of Reparation', is very close to the heart of Pope John Paul II. (Pope John Paul II, “Message”, 22 Sept 1986)
The revelations about the Two Hearts “are not public revelations or part of the apostolic deposit of faith to which we are committed as dogmas for the sake of salvation. ‘... still the devotions inspired by these private revelations draw upon the great mystery of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Redemption which are at the very center of our Christian faith’ and which we hold in common with the first disciples of Jesus Christ and with Mary herself. They are at the very heart of the hierarchy of truths in Catholic teaching which Vatican II’s 'Decree on Ecumenism' mentions.” (“Decree on Ecumenism” no. 11)
The opening of the heart of Christ by the lance is the fulfillment of the prophet Zechariah’s prophecy: “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” (Jn 19:37; Zech 12:10)
“We are sinners and thus we pierce the Heart of Jesus. We must go back to that Heart, with sorrow for our sins.” (“1988 Fatima Consensus Document”, 22)
Since Mary intimately shared in the passion and sufferings of her Son due to our sins, our reparation must reach out to her; for her heart is intimately linked with the Heart of Christ Himself. The first act of reparation is our own conversion.
It extends to our neighbors through the means requested by the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary every first Friday and first Saturday of the month: the Holy Rosary, Holy Communion, Confession and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Love as the essential motivation makes daily living of the spirit of reparation our main preoccupation.
Ref: “Alliance of the Two Hearts”, 1996, pp349-50
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 (cf Jn 17:21). Unity is a great benefit; we must daily implore it because every kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (cf Mt 12:25).
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, 'In Conversation with God', 2:349-50
St Bernadette Soubiros, virgin
On this day, in 1879, just after 3:00 o’clock PM, Sister Marie Bernarde, a Crucifix tightly clasped to her breast, left this life as a Sister of Nevers at St Gildard. (G Menotti, “Lourdes”, p16) Thirty years later, her body was exhumed and found to be quite incorrupt and flexible. Her body, clothed in the habit of her Congregation, reposes in a crystal casket near the high altar in the Mother House at Nevers. (C C Martindale, “St Bernadette”, p74)
• Our Lady of Victories, in the Church of St Mark, at Venice. This is the famous image which the Emperors John Zimisces and John Comnenus carried in a triumphal car; it is now borne in procession at Venice to obtain rain or fine weather. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Victory / Victories. Church of St Mark, Venice. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Victories in the Church of St. Mark, Venice. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady of Victory (celebrated in the church of St Mark, Venice). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Victories in Saint Mark's Church (Venice, Italy). (http://mariedenazareth.com)
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