The Apostles and holy women are
not the only ones to enjoy the presence of our Risen Jesus: a
countless people of the Just made perfect claim and have the
happiness of seeing and reverencing the sacred humanity of this their
beloved King. The magnificence of the Resurrection has caused us
somewhat to forget those venerable captives of Limbo with whom the
Soul of our Redeemer spent the hours that elapsed between His Death
and Resurrection. They were the friends of God, and were awaiting in
Abraham’s bosom (as the
Scripture expresses it), the dawning of light eternal. From the hour
of None (3 o’clock) of
the great Friday till the day-break of Sunday, the soul of our
Emmanuel abode with these holy prisoners who were thus put in
possession of infinite happiness. But when the hour of his triumph
came how was the Conqueror of Death to leave behind Him these souls
whom he had enfranchised by His Death and Resurrection? At the moment
fixed by the eternal decree, Jesus’
soul passes from Limbo to the sepulchre and is reunited to His body,
but He is accompanied by a jubilant choir of other souls — the
souls of the long-imprisoned saints.
On the day of the Ascension they
will form His court and rise together with Him, but Heaven’s
gate is not yet open and they must needs wait for these forty days to
pass during which our Redeemer will organise His Church. They are
invisible to the eyes of men, but they dwell in the space above this
lowly earth where once they passed their days and merited an eternal
recompense. Adam again sees the land which he had tilled in the sweat
of his brow. Abel is in admiration at the power of the divine Blood
which has sued for mercy, whereas his prayed but for vengeance
(Hebrews xii. 24). Noah looks upon this globe and finds it covered
with an immense multitude of men, all of whom are descendants of his
three sons. Abraham, the father of believers, Isaac also, and Jacob,
hail the happy moment when is to be fulfilled the promise which was
made to them that all generations should be blessed in Him who was to
be born of their race. Moses recognises his people, in whose midst
the Messiah, (whom he had announced (John i. 45) and who is greater
than he (Hebrews iii. 3) has found so few followers and so many
enemies. Job who represents the elect among the Gentiles is filled
with joy at seeing his Redeemer living (Job xix. 25) in whom he had
hoped in all his trials. David, fired with holy enthusiasm, is
preparing canticles for Heaven grander far than those he has left us,
to be sung in praise of the Incarnate God, who has espoused our human
nature. Isaias and the other Prophets behold the literal fulfilment
of all they had foretold. In a word, this countless army of saints
formed from the elect of all times and countries is grieved at
finding the earth a slave to the worship of false gods. They beseech
our Lord, with all the earnestness of prayer, that He would hasten
the time for the preaching of the Gospel, which is to rouse from
their sleep them that are seated in the shadow of death.
As the elect, when they rise from
their graves on the Last Day, will ascend through the air to meet
Christ (1 Thessalonians iv. 16) as eagles who gather together,
wherever the body may be, (Matthew xiv. 28) so now these holy souls
cluster around their divine Deliverer. He is their attraction. The
seeing Him, the speaking with Him, is truly a heaven on earth to
them. Jesus indulges these Blessed of His Father who are soon to
possess the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the
world (Matthew xxv. 34) — He allows them to follow and accompany
Him, and thus does He beguile the days which are to be spent before
that glorious one of His triumphant Ascension. What mast not have
been the happiness of the faithful and chaste Joseph in being thus
near his adopted Son, his Creator? With what affection must he not
have looked upon his virginal spouse who has been made, at the foot
of the Cross, the Mother of men! Who could describe the delight with
which Anne and Joachim gaze upon their daughter, the august Mother
whom all generations will call “Blessed”? (Luke i. 48) And John,
the Precursor, how must he not have exulted at seeing Her, at whose
voice he was sanctified in his mother’s
womb, and who has given to the world the Lamb that takes all sin
away! How affectionately must not these ransomed souls have looked
upon the Apostles, those future conquerors of the world, who are now
being prepared for the combat by their Divine Master! It is through
them that the earth, once brought to the knowledge of the true God,
will be ever sending up elect ones to heaven until time will give
place to eternity. Let us today honour these hidden but august
witnesses of what God’s
mercy is preparing for the world’s
salvation. We will soon see them ascending to Heaven, of which they
will take possession in the name of mankind that has been redeemed by
Christ. Let us not forget how, on their way from Limbo to Heaven,
they rested with Jesus for forty days on this earth of ours where
they themselves had once lived and merited an eternal crown. Their
visit brought a blessing with it, and their departure was the signal
for us to follow them — it opened the way to the blissful Home
which is one day to be ours!
Sing the mourning hymns, holy choir, mourning, but full of hope.
Sing now your canticles to the Divine King, who has broken down the gates of Hell.
He conquers Death, and rising from the Tomb, brings festive joy to the world.
The cursed regions of Hell wonder at the strange event.
They gaze on Him who enters. He is Eternal Life, and they see His power.
The mighty host of demons tremble with fear, and howl, and weep, asking each other, who this may be that dares to break the massive bolts!
’'Tis thus our Lord returns to Earth, surrounded by a glorious troop, and hastens to console the timid hearts of His Disciples.
Let us who celebrate His noble victory, beseech Him in humble prayer, that we may be found worthy to celebrate the great Pasch, in the choir of Virgins. And in that Galilee above sanctified by light, to see the Source of Light. Amen.
