A night has passed over the tomb in which lies buried the body of the Man-God. Death is triumphant in that silent cave, and holds captive Him that gives life to every creature — but His triumph will soon be at an end. The soldiers may watch as best they will, over that grave: they cannot hold Jesus prisoner, as soon as the moment fixed for His Resurrection comes. The holy angels are there, profoundly adoring the lifeless body of Him whose Blood is to reconcile all things, both on earth and in heaven (Colossians i. 20). This body, though for a brief interval, separated from the soul, is still united to the Person of the Son of God. So, likewise, the soul, during its separation from the body, has not, for an instant, lost its union with the Word. The Divinity remains also united with the Blood that lies sprinkled on Calvary, and which, at the moment of the Resurrection of the Man-God, is to enter once more into His sacred veins.
Let us also return to the sepulchre and adore the body of our buried Jesus. Now, at last, we understand what sin has done: by sin death entered into the world, and it passed upon all men (Romans v. 12) Though Jesus knew no sin (2 Corinthians v. 21), yet has He permitted death to have dominion over Him in order that He might make it less bitter to us, and by His Resurrection restore to us that eternal life of which we had been deprived by sin. How gratefully we should appreciate this death of our Jesus! By becoming Incarnate, He became a servant (Philippians ii. 7). His death was a still deeper humiliation. The sight of this tomb in which His body lies lifeless and cold teaches us something far more important than the power of death — it reveals to us the immense, the incomprehensible love of God for man. He knew that we were to gain by His humiliations: the greater His humiliations, the greater our exaltation. This was His principle, and it led Him to what seems like an excess!
Let us, then, love this sacred sepulchre which is to give us life. We have thanked Him for having died for us on the Cross. Let us thank Him, but most feelingly, for having humbled Himself, for our sakes, even to the tomb.
And now let us visit the Holy Mother who has passed the night in Jerusalem going over, in saddest memory the scenes she has witnessed. Her Jesus has been a Victim to every possible insult and cruelty: He has been crucified. His Precious Blood has flowed in torrents from those Five Wounds. He is dead and now lies buried in yonder tomb as though he were but a mere man, yea the most abject of men. How many tears have fallen during these long hours from the eyes of the Daughter of David, and yet her Son has not come back to her! Near her is Magdalene, heart-broken by yesterday’s events, she has no words to tell her grief, for Jesus is gone, and as she thinks forever. The other women, less loved by Jesus than Magdalene, yet most dear to Him, stand around the disconsolate Mother. They have braved every insult and danger in order to remain on Calvary till all was over, and they intend returning there with Magdalene, as soon as the Sabbath is over, to honour the tomb and the body of Jesus.
John, the adopted son of Mary, and the Beloved Disciple of Jesus, is oppressed with sorrow. Others, also, of the Apostles and disciples visit the house of mourning. Peter, penitent and humble, fears not to appear before the Mother of Mercy. Among the disciples are Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. We may easily imagine the conversation — it is on the sufferings and death of Jesus, and on the ingratitude of the Jews. The Church, in the Seventh Responsory of today’s Tenebrae represents these men as saying: “Behold! how the Just One dies, and there is none that takes it to heart. Iniquity has had its way. He was silent as a Lamb under his shearer, and he opened not his mouth. He was taken away from distress and judgment: but his memory will be in peace.”
Thus speak the men. The women are thinking of their morrow’s visit to the sepulchre. The saintliness of Jesus, His goodness, His power, His sufferings, His death — everything is remembered, except His Resurrection which they had often heard Him say should certainly and speedily take place. Mary alone lives in expectation of His triumph. In her was verified that expression of the Holy Ghost, where, speaking of the Valiant Woman, He says: “Her lamp will not be put out in the night” (Proverbs xxxi. 18) Her courage fails not because she knows that the sepulchre must yield up its Dead, and her Jesus will rise again to life. Saint Paul tells us that our religion is vain unless we have faith in the mystery of our Saviour’s Resurrection — where was this faith on the day after our Lord’s death? In one heart only, and that was Mary’s. As it was her chaste womb that had held within it Him whom heaven and earth cannot contain, so on this day, by her firm and unwavering faith, she resumes within her single self the whole Church. How sacred is this Saturday, which, notwithstanding all its sadness, is such a day of glory to the Mother of Jesus! It is on this account that the Church has consecrated to Mary the Saturday of every week.Epistle – Colossians iii. 1‒4
Brethren, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ will appear, who is your life, then you also will appear with Him in glory.Thanks be to God.
Gospel – Matthew xxviii. 1‒7
In the end of the Sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat on it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. And the Angel answering, said to the women: “Fear not you, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell his disciples that he is risen: and behold he will go before you into Galilee: there you will see him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.”Praise be to you, O Christ.
