Resurrexit sicut dixit!
And in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. (Matt. 28:1)
When Adam was created he was bestowed the gift of life—physical, spiritual and divine. That life was intended to be lived forever—it is all that one Who desires the best for another would be that that the other would never die but live forever. One could not want the death of the other if one truly loved the other. God, would, therefore, want Adam to live forever—physically, spiritually and divinely (that is, a participation in Gods life). As is known, Adam brought his own death about by Original Sin. Death would be inherited by all Adams descendants through his seed—thus the words of the Psalmist: For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me. (Ps. 50:7) Not an act of sin but a transferal of sin. Mankind, therefore, was destined to die eternally unless the love of God could save mankind. Infinite Justice could not but demand justice. But infinite Mercy could not but demand mercy. How could both be satisfied? Mercy and truth have met each other: justice and peace have kissed (Psalms 84:11) He that followeth justice and mercy, shall find life, justice, and glory. (Proverbs 21:21) It would be the Divine Word, in Mercy, taking human nature and satisfying Divine Justice: And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? and who shall go for us? And I said: Lo, here am I, send me. (Isa. 6:8) Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me: Holocausts [offered by mere humans] for sin did not please thee. Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O God. (Heb. 10:5-7)
The Incarnation, God becoming man, was for the salvation of mankind, to restore to man the divine life he had lost. For, as one reads, God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. (John 3:16). Be it that God knew He would take on human nature and affiliate Himself with humanity and therefore willed that humanity He loved not to be lost, or be it that the nature of God impels Him to seek the restoration of man to grace, in the eternal Wisdom of God the means He took to save humanity was that of satisfying divine justice by paying the love God bestowed on man but was rejected by man with that of the sacrifice of His Son’s life: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. (Philip. 2:6-8)
Whereas Adam brought death by disobedience, Christ would by obedience bring life: For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just. (Rom. 5:19)
Still, the question would remain: What would man gain if, restored to justification, possessing the life of God, he would still die a physical death and be condemned to live a half-human as a spirit for the rest of eternity—never complete with body and soul? What about physical death? Would that, then, be eternal? This question was in the minds of the disciples even as they witnessed or heard that Christ had died on the Cross: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in work and word before God and all the people; And how our chief priests and princes delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we hoped, that it was he that should have redeemed Israel: and now besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done. (Luke 24:19-21) Yes, Christ raised the young man (cf. Luke 7), Jairus daughter (Mark 5; Luke 8) and Lazarus (John 11)—but they would all die again. If Christ died and was buried, who would raise Him from the dead? And this question waited an answer. Jesus Christ gave the answer: There would be a resurrection of the body, but it would be first through the sacrifice of physical life that receives redemption; but redemption would be complete with the resurrection of the body: O foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? . . . Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day: And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:25-26, 46-47)
O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? (1 Cor. 15:55) With the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, God the Father shows that He accepted the sacrifice of His Sons life for the redemption of mankind: an eternal sacrifice by its very nature of being a divine Victim offered by an (divine) eternal Priest (Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech [Ps. 109:4]). As Jesus Christ participated in the life of humanity, humanity is now called to participate in the life of Jesus Christ—this union is absolutely necessary and Jesus Christ made it very clear at the Last Supper before He began His Sacrifice: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you. In this is my Father glorified; that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; as I also have kept my Fathers commandments, and do abide in his love. (John 15:4-10)
This union with Christ is accomplished first through Baptism, which the entire Lenten Season the Catholic has just passed through stresses, and is further made manifest in the receiving of the Passover Lamb, the Body and Blood of Christ, in the Holy Eucharist (Easter Duty) on Easter. Following the Sacred Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, these doctrines are made clear in the celebration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist in which Christ offers Himself under the appearances of bread and wine so that His disciples can be united with Him as He begins His passion and death. Good Friday, that Passion and death are brought before our eyes as the liturgy commemorates this mournful event; and, the faithful once again participate by uniting with the Crucified in the reception of Holy Communion. Holy Saturday has the faithful awaiting the Resurrection of the Divine Saviour through prophecies read and blessing of baptismal water that is sometimes followed by the baptism of adults now having died to sin and risen to the new life of grace. The faithful, in the meantime, join with them in the renewal of their own baptismal vows of renouncing Satan, his works and his seductions. All of this is to make clear to the faith that though death may separate the body from the soul, the body will rise from the dust of the earth united with its soul at the final resurrection—allowing a temporal dismemberment with the expectation of reuniting that both punishes sin in justice through death but in mercy limits the physical death of the body to an appointed time (as Jesus Christ, too, was separated from His Body for the three days.)
As Our Lord said to Thomas, Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed (John 20:29), the impression may be missed and has not been demonstrably made visible by the books and films on the life of Christ—but to one having known Christ had been crucified and buried then to see Him visibly present was sufficient for the Apostles and Disciples and even Saint Paul to unhesitantly join in His death to partake in His Resurrection—albeit at His Second Coming. This is why the apostolic Church awaits so earnestly for that Coming—John, in his closing words, writes: He that giveth testimony of these things, saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Apoc. 22:20) Saint Paul assures the Corinthians: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and we shall be changed. (1 Cor. 15:52)
Catholics, just as the holy Women that Easter morn, must see the sepulchre as empty, that the body is not confined to the tomb forever, but will rise as Christ rose. This faith is particularly evident amongst those who insist that they be buried as they understand that there is a resurrection of the body in opposition to those who see no future for the body no different than that of the soul-person, just a mere eternal separation from life that has just ended. That Catholics should not see the resurrection of Christ as if it were to indicate there should be no more suffering in this world, wanting a Christ that is taken down from the cross. They should bear in mind the words spoken while He was on the Cross: If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. (Matt. 27:42) This is not the message the holy women heard when they found the tomb empty, but that crucified, died and buried, Jesus Christ is not found in the tomb, He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. (Matt. 28:6) Rather, the message was that they need not fear death as Gods love vanquished eternal death. This, too, is the what the Apostles saw when they gazed upon Christ in the locked upper room. This is why all faithful Catholics await the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. (Apostles Creed) The celebration of Easter as the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the embodiment of that faith.
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