MARY AND THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
2. Jesus Appears to His Mother.
This is not an article of faith nor is it recorded in the Gospel; nevertheless it is certain. Both nature and grace demand this meeting of Mother and Son. Can we doubt that Our Blessed Lady with a lively and unshakable faith was expecting this meeting? While the Apostles hesitated about the truth of the Resurrection, Mary felt an infallible certainty that the words of Her Son would be fulfilled. She never went to the sepulcher, for She knew that Jesus was not there. Think now of the holy impatience which especially at the beginning of the third day would overtake the heart of Mary. Minutes would seem an eternity. Her Mother's heart felt that Her Son was about to come and a mother's heart is not easily mistaken in what appertains to her son. Remember how the mother of Tobias would go daily to the road and scan the horizon awaiting the return of her son. If we knew what is a mother's heart, and especially the heart of that Mother, then only could we fathom Her longing and impatience to see Her risen Son. It is a pleasant thought to imagine that Her ardent desires and fervent prayers anticipated the hour of the resurrection, just as She had done in the case of the Incarnation and at the wedding at Cana, when She put the clock forward and induced Jesus to manifest Himself to the world by a miracle before the scheduled time.
The happy moment arrives. Visualize Our Lady still sunk in deep sorrow, still in Her solitude, Her eyes red and swollen from the much weeping, and with no more tears to shed. Then of a sudden there is a flash of divine light. A glorious body brighter than light, clad in garments whiter than snow, appears and then comes the sound of a sweetest familiar voice which calls Her "Mother!" How can language express the meeting of Son and Mother in such a moment? Let your own heart lose itself in this ocean of happiness and of real glory. Suffering for Him leads to endless enjoyment of Him, whilst the joys and satisfactions of this life are but false and unsatisfying.
Here also the rule of love and suffering should be applied, namely: so much love, so much suffering. Equally also, as the suffering is great, so afterwards would be the joy. How great would then be the joy of Our Heavenly Mother since such was Her love for Her Son. If such was Her suffering at His death, how great would Her joy be on seeing Him now glorious, triumphant, risen, never more to die. Again She would go through every wound of His glorious body adoring them shining so splendidly. Let us also, together with Mary, go over His every wound and stop at the wounded Side, in that Heart which is a furnace, a volcano of love. Enter there, set yourself on fire, be consumed in a holy love for God.
[Excerpted from 'MARIAN MEDITATIONS' Book by Rev. Dr. Ildefonso R. Villar, Salesian Philippine Province, Nihil Obstat; Imprimatur]
2. Jesus Appears to His Mother.
This is not an article of faith nor is it recorded in the Gospel; nevertheless it is certain. Both nature and grace demand this meeting of Mother and Son. Can we doubt that Our Blessed Lady with a lively and unshakable faith was expecting this meeting? While the Apostles hesitated about the truth of the Resurrection, Mary felt an infallible certainty that the words of Her Son would be fulfilled. She never went to the sepulcher, for She knew that Jesus was not there. Think now of the holy impatience which especially at the beginning of the third day would overtake the heart of Mary. Minutes would seem an eternity. Her Mother's heart felt that Her Son was about to come and a mother's heart is not easily mistaken in what appertains to her son. Remember how the mother of Tobias would go daily to the road and scan the horizon awaiting the return of her son. If we knew what is a mother's heart, and especially the heart of that Mother, then only could we fathom Her longing and impatience to see Her risen Son. It is a pleasant thought to imagine that Her ardent desires and fervent prayers anticipated the hour of the resurrection, just as She had done in the case of the Incarnation and at the wedding at Cana, when She put the clock forward and induced Jesus to manifest Himself to the world by a miracle before the scheduled time.
The happy moment arrives. Visualize Our Lady still sunk in deep sorrow, still in Her solitude, Her eyes red and swollen from the much weeping, and with no more tears to shed. Then of a sudden there is a flash of divine light. A glorious body brighter than light, clad in garments whiter than snow, appears and then comes the sound of a sweetest familiar voice which calls Her "Mother!" How can language express the meeting of Son and Mother in such a moment? Let your own heart lose itself in this ocean of happiness and of real glory. Suffering for Him leads to endless enjoyment of Him, whilst the joys and satisfactions of this life are but false and unsatisfying.
Here also the rule of love and suffering should be applied, namely: so much love, so much suffering. Equally also, as the suffering is great, so afterwards would be the joy. How great would then be the joy of Our Heavenly Mother since such was Her love for Her Son. If such was Her suffering at His death, how great would Her joy be on seeing Him now glorious, triumphant, risen, never more to die. Again She would go through every wound of His glorious body adoring them shining so splendidly. Let us also, together with Mary, go over His every wound and stop at the wounded Side, in that Heart which is a furnace, a volcano of love. Enter there, set yourself on fire, be consumed in a holy love for God.
[Excerpted from 'MARIAN MEDITATIONS' Book by Rev. Dr. Ildefonso R. Villar, Salesian Philippine Province, Nihil Obstat; Imprimatur]
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