The Lord Jesus, very early in the morning, came with a glorious multitude of angels to the tomb on the Lord’s day, and re-assumed His most holy Body; and having risen again, went forth by His own power, the tomb being still closed. But at the same hour — very early in the morning — Mary Magdalene and the mother of James, and Salome, began to go to the sepulchre with the ointments, taking leave of the Blessed Mother.
But the Blessed Mother remained at home, and prayed ; we may imagine her words : “O most merciful Father, O most loving Father, as Thou kno\yest, my Son has died ; He has been fastened to the Cross between two robbers. I have buried Him with my own hands; but Thou art powerful, O Lord, and canst restore Him to me safe and sound. I beseech Thy Majesty to restore Him. Why delays He so long to come to me? Send Him back to me, I pray Thee, for my soul cannot rest until I see Him. O my sweetest Son! what has come to Thee? What art Thou doing? Why art Thou delaying? I pray Thee, do not put off any longer to come to me; for Thou saidst, On the third day, I will rise again.’ Is it not now the third day, my Son ; for not yesterday, but the day before, was that great and bitter day, a day of affliction and death, of darkness and blackness, of parting and of dying. This, then, my Son, is the third day. Awake up, my Glory, my Only Good, and return. Above all things, I desire to see Thee. Let Thy return console me as Thy departure deeply grieved me. Return, then, my Beloved ; come, Lord Jesus ; come, my only Hope; come to me, my Son.” Whilst she thus prayed and gently wept, represent to your mind the Lord Jesus suddenly appearing, with garments of the whitest hue, with calm countenance, beautiful, glorious, radiant with joy, and accosting His holy parent. And she, recognizing her Son, fell upon her knees, adoring Him. And then her Son replied, “I am Jesus, Thy Son; I have risen from the dead.” Then rising, and weeping for joy, she embraced Him, and pressing her face upon His, she clung to Him, whilst He lovingly held her. And as they remained a while together, the Blessed Mother closely regarded Him, looking over Him to find any traces of His sufferings ; she saw His Face the same as before, but she marked the wounds in His Hands. Whereupon He may have replied to her inquiring look, “All sorrow has now left me; I have overcome death and grief, all pain and anguish, nor shall I ever feel any more.” Then the Blessed Virgin would give thanks : “Blessed be Thy Father, Who hath restored Thee ; exalted and praised be His Name, and be it magnified for ever.” They then remain and rejoice together; with love and joy the first Easter is thus kept. And the Lord Jesus recounted, how He had delivered His people from Hell, and all things which He had done those three days. O what a great Easter was this !
Notes: Vide Introd. p. xvii.