The Church continues to encourage us in joy because of Christ's resurrection, and sings at the Introit of this day's Mass: Shout with joy to God all the earth, Alleluia: Sing ye a psalm to His name, Alleluia. Give glory to his praise. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. (Ps. lxv.) Say unto God: How terrible are thy works, O Lord! Thy great power shall convict thy enemies of a lie. Glory be etc.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered the chains of death. For forty days we fasted and prayed during Lent and now we partake of the fifty days of celebration for Easter. The Alleluia from the 1962 Missal so beautifully sings of the hope and victory still deserving to be proclaimed on the mountaintops: “Alleluia, Alleluia. The Lord hath sent redemption to His people. Alleluia. It behooved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the death, and so to enter into His glory. Alleluia.”
What is truly profound is that Jesus Christ really and physically rose from the dead! It is a historical event. Not just His soul rose, but also He bodily rose from the dead after dying on the Cross and descending into Hell. As is stated in the visions recorded in 'The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ', our Lord, at the instance of His death on the Cross, descended to the Limbo of the Fathers, Purgatory, and Hell. In the Limbo of the Fathers, He preached to the patriarchs, prophets, and holy people that had died before Heaven was opened by His death (1 Peter 4:6). Included among these people was Adam and Eve. What many people are not taught is that the exact place of Jesus' Crucifixion on Mt. Calvary is exactly above the spot where the first Adam was interred. The Body of the New Adam (Jesus) covered that of the Old Adam! Jesus also went to Purgatory and gazed upon Hell. According to 'The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ,' by St. Catherine Emmerich, Jesus spoke with Judas, who was in Hell.
According to the previously mentioned book, Jesus also commanded nearly 100 of the holy people in the Limbo of the Fathers to re-enter their bodies temporarily. He then commanded them to visit their relatives and preach the truth - that Jesus Christ was the salvation of the world. With the darkness and earthquakes too, many people were converted and believed after the Crucifixion. All of this took place roughly 1 hour after Jesus died on the Cross. Yet, the Patriarchs, Prophets, etc. in their bodies did not look like Jesus's glorified bodies. They merely re-entered their bodies temporarily to fulfill the command of Jesus. Afterwards, their souls again left their bodies. On that day, the Limbo of the Fathers was forever closed. Heaven was opened by the death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ (CCC 1026).
Concerning Jesus, Scripture attests, 'He is the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep' (1 Cor. 15:12). With His glorified Body, He is no longer bound by the limitations of time, space, or physics. As we believe as part of the Faith also, Mother Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven. They remain the only two people to have a glorified body. But we too shall follow! That is our hope! The very same Body we have now will be raised again at Judgment. For we, unlike Mary (e.g. Immaculate Conception) and Jesus, are sinners, so our Resurrection is yet to come. At the time of Judgment, all people will be united with their bodies. At that time, the Prophets, Patriarchs, Saints, etc., will all receive a glorified body.
The reading of the GOSPEL for this Sunday(John XVI. 16‑22.)
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: "A little while, and now you shall not see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me: because I go to the Father." Then some of his disciples said one to another: What is this that he saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me, and, because I go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he speaketh. And Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask him, and he said to them: "Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because I said: A little while, and you shall not see me: and again a little while and you shall see me. Amen, amen I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. So also 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."
What is the meaning of Christ's words: A little while and you shall not see me; and again a little while and you shall see me?
St. John Chrysostom applies these words, which Christ spoke to His apostles a few hours before His passion, to the time between the death of Jesus and His Resurrection; but St. Augustine, to the time between the Resurrection and the Ascension, and then to the Last judgment at the end of the world, and he adds: "This little while seems long to us living, but ended, we feel how short it is." In affliction we should console ourselves by reflecting, how soon it will terminate, and that it cannot be compared with the future glory, that is awaiting eternally in heaven him who patiently endures.
Why did our Saviour tell His disciples of their future joys and sufferings?
That they might the more easily bear the sufferings that were to come, because we can be prepared for sufferings which we know are pending; because He knew that their sufferings would be only slight and momentary in comparison with the everlasting joy which awaited them, like the pains of a woman in giving birth to a child which are great indeed, but short, and soon forgotten by the mother in joy at the birth of the child. "Tell me" says St. John Chrysostom, "if you were elected king but were obliged to spend the night preceding your entrance into your capital city where you were to be crowned, if you were compelled to pass that night in much discomfort in a stable, would you not joyfully endure it in the expectation of your kingdom? And why should not we, in this valley of tears, willingly live through adversities, in expectation of one day obtaining the kingdom of heaven?"
Enlighten us, O Holy Spirit! that we may realize that this present life and all its hardships are but slight and momentary, and strengthen me that we may endure patiently the adversities of life in the hope of future heavenly joys.
CONSOLATION IN TRIALS AND ADVERSITIES
You shall lament and weep. (John XVI. 20.)
That Christian is, most foolish who fancies that the happiness of this world consists in honors, wealth, and pleasures, while Christ, the eternal Truth, teaches the contrary, promising eternal happiness to the poor and oppressed, and announcing eternal affliction and lamentation to those rich ones who have their comfort in this world. How much, then, are those to be pitied who as Christians believe, and yet live as if these truths were not for them, and who think only how they can spend their days in luxury, hoping at the same time to go to heaven where all the saints, even Christ the Son of God Himself and His Mother, have entered only by crosses and sufferings.
And, we know, that God Almighty will not send us anything which He knows that we cannot bear. He is testing us and strengthening us all the while.
PRAYER IN TRIBULATION:
O best Jesus! who hast revealed, that we can enter heaven only by many tribulations (Acts xiv. 21.), hast called them blessed who in this world are sad, oppressed, and persecuted, but patiently suffer, and will therefore be consoled and rejoiced, and who hast also taught us, that without the will of Thy Heavenly Father, not the slightest evil is done, not one hair of our head can be bent (Luke xxi. 13.): I firmly believe, that I shall become the more happy the more I am persecuted and oppressed, if I only patiently suffer. I therefore submit entirely to Thy divine will, for I know that even though all hell, with its adherents, should rise against me, it could do me not the slightest injury without Thy permission.
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