TEXT: The Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew 28:1-10

From the Roman Breviary, St. Bonaventure said -- "O Good and Gentle Jesus!  You gave Yourself to us as a ransom for our redemption, grant that we, unworthy though we may be, may correspond to Your grace, entirely, perfectly, and in all things."

It was the early hours of Sunday morning. . .It is not without significance that it was Mary Magdalene, the one who had been redeemed from an "unworthy" past that would be the first of many to "correspond" to the to the grace of Jesus "entirely, perfectly, and in all things."  She came with the "other Mary."  They came to see the tomb.

It was after the Sabbath toward the dawn of the day after the Sabbath, Sunday morning -- First Fruits, the Feast of the "morrow after the Sabbath," during Pasach (Passover Week).  Three Feasts occur in one week of Feasts (Sabbaths, if you please) Here, the Greek word used in verse 1 is "sabbatwn," which could be translated, "Sabbaths," meaning, after the Sabbaths of Passover and Unleavened Bread, perhaps.

{NOTE: In Nisan of the Jewish Calendar on the 14th day, The Feast of Passover is celebrated (Lev. 23:4-5; Ex. 12:1-14).  On the 15th day of Nisan is The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:6-8; Ex.12:15-20).  On the 16th day of Nisan, The Feast of First Fruits was celebrated "on the day after the Sabbath" (Lev. 23:9-14).  Fifty days later was Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-22).}

But, I shall not be dogmatic here, but, there is evidence that these three ":Sabbaths" may have lined up one right after another as the 14, 15 and 16th of Nisan in the week that our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again from the dead!

Let us hear the story that is told by the witnesses through Matthew --

1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher.
2  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.

Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ!  The angel rolled back the stone, not to let Jesus out, but, the let the world that was coming to witness the resurrection into the empty tomb, so that, the two Marys might tell the whole world through all the disciples (apostles) of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Alleluia!

The angel was described.

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
4  And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

My brothers and sisters, when the Lord appears to the unbeliever, the ones who reject and set a guard upon the tomb that no one might see the truth, then, they become as dead men in the presence of the revelations of Jesus Christ!

How unlike dead men we are, when we hold these truths of the risen Christ to be SELF-evident!  He is risen, because HE IS RISEN, and, we need no proof, for faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  He is risen, because God says so through his holy apostles and prophets!  He is risen, because we have credible witnesses, Mary Magdalene, a fallen women, like me, a fallen man, who trusted Jesus’ word, the Word of the Father -- whosoever will may come and see!  Let us enter with Mary and Mary and come and witness what is done by God.  Yes, it is Jesus (Yahweh is Salvation, Immanuel). . . the once for all men dead Man rises and conquers death forever!  He who was dead now lives forever!  Alleluia, He is Risen!

So, the angel may say to us now --

5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Let us go to the empty tomb where all the world may behold the place where he who was crucified once was buried in the tomb.  The rock has rolled aside to let the world see the risen Rock who would build his Church upon the Rock, Peter!  Peter would become like Jesus.  Peter would become in his own weakness the one whose strength would come from the risen Savior so that he might lead and feed his brothers and sisters, and minister with our Mother at Jerusalem and unto the uttermost parts of the world come Pentecost!

For the angel tells us with Mary and Mary,

7  Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you."
8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

How excitedly they ran!

They were joy struck with wonder!

I love it how God always gives the women first place in these resurrection accounts.  There is something to this.  It is to Mary, our Mother, that God spoke first through Gabriel.  Why should to not be to two other Marys that God should speak through an angelic being?  For --  "O Good and Gentle Jesus!  You gave Yourself to us as a ransom for our redemption, grant that we, unworthy though we may be, may correspond to Your grace, entirely, perfectly, and in all things."

Mary and Mary corresponded to God’s grace in Jesus, entirely (early in the morning, perhaps, while others slept), perfectly, in all things!

So, as they ran to tell the story to the disciples, it was Jesus who met them. . .

"Hail, Mary. . .and Mary!"

9  And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.

Behold, the handmaidens of the LORD, who stoop low to his feet, the feet that bore the nail prints in them.  They worshiped HIM!  Were they not worshiping as did our Lady, Maria, at singing of her song in the Magnificat?

The Holy Father tells us this same message today -- BE NOT AFRAID!  God has all things under control.  He has that place prepared for our Lady and her seed in the wilderness, the place prepared for her by God.  Fear not, says Jesus. . .

10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

Yes, they have seen him alive.  They have declared this Gospel to us all!

Now, our Gospel is one, the only one, with power.  It is not that we have power in ourselves from our own doings.  No, it is that we have the POWER of God through the Resurrection of Jesus!  Jesus IS our Resurrection and Life!  Those that believe (are trusting) in him and are Baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit -- will be saved!

This Gospel is glorious for us!

The apostles would "see" Jesus.  The original testimony would come through those named by the name of  "Mary."

Perhaps, in these latter days when we live, with the revelation of our Lady in the wilderness (Rev. 12) we see a similar picture as Mary proclaims to us again the vision of our Risen Jesus, the Fruit of her womb on this Feast of First Fruits, Easter Sunday the morning after the Sabbath of this Easter Vigil.



Deus et Sanctissima.