On this night of Resurrection everything begins anew; creation regains its authentic meaning in the plan of salvation. It is like a new beginning of history and of the cosmos, because Christ is risen, ‘the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep’ (1 Corinthians 15:20). Christ, the ‘last Adam,’ has become ‘a life-giving spirit’ (1 Corinthians 15:45).”
Consider the humble state to which the Son of God chose to abase himself; he not only vouchsafed to take upon him the form of a servant, but that of a sinful servant : In the likeness of sinful flesh? Therefore St. Bernard writes: “He not only assumed the form of a servant, that he might be under subjection, but even that of a wicked servant, that he might be beaten”; He not only would assume the condition of a servant to be subject to others, he who was Lord of all; but even the appearance of a criminal servant, to be punished as a male factor, he who was the Saint of all saints. For this end he clothed himself with the same flesh of Adam which had been infected by sin. And although he did not contract the stain of sin, nevertheless he took upon himself all the miseries which human nature had contracted as a penalty for sin.
Our Redeemer, in order to obtain for us salvation, offered himself voluntarily to his Father to make satisfaction for our sins: He was offered because it was His own will. And his Father loaded him with all our crimes: He has laid on Himself the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). And thus behold the Divine Word, innocent, most pure, and holy, behold him even from his infancy charged with all the blasphemies, with all the unsightliness, with all the sacrileges, and with all the crimes of men; become for the love of us the object of the divine malediction.
On account of the sins for which he had bound himself to satisfy the divine justice. So that Jesus charged himself with as many maledictions as there have ever been, or ever shall be, mortal sins committed by all mankind. And thus he presented himself to his Father, when he came into the world.
The great hymn of the Exsultet, which the deacon sings at the beginning of the Easter liturgy, points us quite gently towards a further aspect. It reminds us that this object, the candle, has its origin in the work of bees. So the whole of creation plays its part. In the candle, creation becomes a bearer of light. But in the mind of the Fathers, the candle also in some sense contains a silent reference to the Church. The cooperation of the living community of believers in the Church in some way resembles the activity of bees. It builds up the community of light. So the candle serves as a summons to us to become involved in the community of the Church, whose raison d’être is to let the light of Christ shine upon the world.
What makes the Glorious Mysteries so special is that, these mysteries are stories of triumph and victory. After all the sadness of the Sorrowful Mysteries, the stone in front of the tomb is rolled away. A bright light shines out in the predawn darkness. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15: 55). The Glorious Mysteries remind us that no matter how bad things get, we can never give up on the hope that Christ will win over everything.
If Christ’s death had ended the story of his life, there would be no gospel, no God News. But death leads to glory, glory so great that even the terrible sufferings of Christ were overcome. St Paul will say: “I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
To be Continued…
Mary, Mother most Admirable, Pray for us!!
No comments:
Post a Comment