PEARLS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE FOR OUR

New Zealand Tablet, 1 April 1915, Page 61

PEARLS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE FOR OUR

By the Rev. M. J. Watson, S.J.,

LITTLE ONES

Author of Within the Soul,’ and ‘ The Story of Burke and Wills.’ 1 t “ Unless you he converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven — St. Matt, xviii. 3. [All Rights Reserved.] EASTER JOY. And the angel, answering, said to the women: * Fear not you, for I know that you seek Jesus Who was crucified. Fie is not here, for Fie is risen, as He said. Come and see the place where the Lord was laid.’—St. Matt, xxviii. 5-6. On Easter Day we celebrate with rejoicing hearts our Divine Lord’s Resurrection. What precisely is meant by the Resurrection? The word, resurrection,’ means ‘a rising up’; and at Easter we recall to mind how our Lord, Who had died on the Cross by the separation of His soul from His body, united again His soul and body the third day after and so began to live a glorious and immortal life, just as He had really lived before His death : that is what is meant by His rising up from the dead, by His Resurrection. During Holy Week, the last days of Lent, we meditated on the sufferings of our dear Jesus during His Passion ; we beheld Him mocked, scourged, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a Cross. And we grieved for His pain and humiliation, and sought to make reparation by our sympathy and love for all He endured from His enemies. Now at Easter we rejoice with Him in His glorious triumph over death, and we give God thanks that He, our beloved Saviour, has entered into a life of infinite bliss that shall never end. The Apostles were filled with a deep joy when they saw their Divine Master risen from the dead—alive again after death, —and they took to heart the lesson of His sufferings, which He taught them when He said : ‘ Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into His glory ?’ They bore afflictions patiently to the end of their life, and they are now entered into eternal rest with Him. And we, who, as St. Paul tells us, are ‘joint-heirs with Christ,’ we, too, shall enter into that blessed rest, ‘ yet so, if we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him.’ (Rom. viii. 17.) Although now, dearest, when you are young, you have dreams of a bright future and indulge in joyous hopes, you must not neglect to bear in mind that if life has pleasures, it has also trials and sorrows, and it is through loving submission to our Heavenly Father’s will that wo shall win our crown on high, where our Lord awaits ns. Let ns, then, with the Apostle, ‘ reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, which shall be revealed in us.’ Take courage and be resolved to serve God with true faith and hope and love to the end of your life. Our Lord will then make you live far happier days than can your enemies, the world and the devil, who seek only to ruin your soul for ever by casting it into hell. Your clearest Saviour is watching over you and -protecting you from evil. 4 The. Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven.’ (Ps. x.) ... 4 Lord, who shall dwell in Thy tabernacle ? or who shall rest on Thy holy hill? He that walketh without blemish,- and worketh justice: he that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue, nor hath done evil to his neighbor.’ (Ps. xiv.) We read in the Life of Sf. Catherine of Siena that our Lord once appeared to her and presented two crowns, one of gold and the other of thorns, asking her to > choose one or other. She replied: 4 Lord, I wish ' to be like you and to find my delight in sorrow and pain.’ Then she chose the crown of thorns, which

she pressed upon her head, and lived ever after with joy m sufferings of many kinds. , V v We must not be ungenerous and cowardly in keeping the Divine law. God will assuredly help us and we should say : T can do all things in Him ‘Who strengthened! me.’ Therefore, at Easter, and indeed at all times, let us seek not earthly things, but set our hearts on those that are heavenly, those that will lift us up to Christ, Who is sitting at the right hand of God, and He will give us gladness in His service, and bring us after death to share His joy and glory in His Father’s Kingdom in Heaven. , Prayer to be Said Often, I believe in the resurrection of the flesh and life everlasting. Amen. Easter Hymn. Ye sons and daughters of the Lord, The King of Heaven, the King adored, From death this .day Himself restored. Alleluia. On Sunday morn, at break of day, The holy women went their way, To see the tomb where Jesus lay. • Alleluia. An angel clad in white they see, Who sat and spake unto the three : ' ‘ Your Lord hath gone to Galilee.’ Alleluia. On this most holy day of days, To God your hearts and voices raise In prayer and jubilee and praise. Alleluia.