News Item: : Awaiting the Resurrection from the Tomb
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
Posted by admin
Saturday 15 April 2017 - 12:08:41

N.B. - Notice to readers in NW England. I've just spotted that there will also be a Traditional Latin Mass on Easter Sunday at 11:30am, and Solemn Benediction at 3pm, at Holy Cross, in St. Helens. I've updated the information in our Easter Mass list below (please scroll down).

The Life of Mary as Seen by the Mystics, is Raphael Brown's classical compilation of the mystical visions of St. Elizabeth of Schoenau, St. Bridget of Sweden, Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich and Ven. Mary of Agreda.

With all the usual caveats pertaining to private revelation, there follows a piece taken from that book's depiction of the events immediately after the Crucifixion. It is provided as a source of devotion and prayer as we all await the Resurrection on this Holy Saturday, 2017.

When I saw that my Son's Heart had been stabbed through, I felt that my own heart was likewise pierced, and it was a wonder that it did not break.

Later my Son was taken down from the Cross. Two men set up three ladders. One reached to His feet, the second came to His arms under the shoulders, and the third reached the middle of His body.

Then one of the men climbed up the second ladder and drove the nail out of the one arm. Then he moved the ladder and drove the nail out of the other hand, for the nails exended far beyond the beam of the Cross.

Then, while he held the body up and slowly came down a bit, the other man went up the ladder that reached to the feet and drove out the nails. When they lowered the body near the ground, one supported it at the head and the other at the feet. But I, who was His Mother, held Him in the middle. Thus we carried Him to a stone which I had covered with clean linens.

All my Son's limbs had become stiff and cold in death, and the blood which had flowed over them during His Passion adhered to them. But I was indeed consoled that I could touch His body and take Him onto my lap, examine His wounds and dry up the blood.

I took His white body onto my knees. It was like the body of a man suffering from leprosy. His eyes were lifeless and filled with blood. His mouth was as cold as snow. His beard was twisted together like a rope. His face was contracted. He lay on my knees as He had hung on the Cross, like a human body that has been twisted apart in all its limbs.

I did not want to bend His arms, which had grown so stiff that in trying to fold them on His chest, I was only able to place them over His abdomen. His knees too could not be altogether stretched out, but remained up, as they had stiffened on the Cross.

Then, they laid Him out on some clean linen, and with my cloth I washed His wounds and His limbs. And with my fingers I closed His eyes and His mouth, which were open when He died.

But I did not sew up the cloth, for I knew for sure that He would not decay in the tomb.

Then Magdalene and other Holy Women came up, and also there were many holy angels present, like bright sunbeams, to render honour to their Creator.

It would be impossible for anyone to describe how sad I was then. I was like a woman who gives birth to a child; after the birth her whole body is quivering, and although her pain is such that she can hardly breathe, yet in her heart she feels the greatest possible joy, because she knows that her son which she has borne will never again have to go through that suffering which he has just experienced. Thus, though I felt a grief over the death of my Son that could not be compared to any other, I also rejoiced in my soul, because I knew that my Son would not die again, but would live forever. And thus, some joy was mingled with sorrow.

Then they placed Him in the tomb.

Oh, how gladly would I have allowed them to entomb me alive with my Son, if it had been His will! I can truly say that when my Son was entombed, there were two Hearts in one sepulchre. Is there not the saying: where your treasure is, there is also your heart? Therefore, my thoughts and my heart were always in the Tomb of my Son.

After all these things had been accomplished, the good John came and led me to his house.

So you see, my daughter, what my Son suffered for you.

Consider therefore how great was my suffering at the Death of my Son, and it will not be hard for you to give up the world.

May God grant us this grace as we prepare our hearts this day, awaiting the Easter Vigil and the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Lumen Christi - Deo Gratias!

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This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.1621 )