Introduction.
In spite of the frequent assurances given by Our Lord that He would rise from the dead; in spite of the testimony of the angel, of the holy women, of the soldiers on guard, that He had really risen, that they had seen Him, that He was no longer to be found in the grave; in spite of the number of disciples who had seen Him alive and spoken to Him after the resurrection, the apostles were still so filled with doubt and fear that they hardly knew what to think. Could He be really risen? They half doubted, half believed it. Thomas had fully made up his mind not to believe: “I will not believe,”[1] he said. Then Jesus, to remove all hesitation from their minds, appeared to them again and “showed them His hands and His side,” as if to say: do you not yet believe? See, here are My hands with the wounds made by the nails which fastened Me to the cross; here is My side pierced by the lance, with My heart still open. Then at last the disciples were convinced. “The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.” My dear brethren, Christ is truly risen; we have no doubt of it; we all acknowledge and confess it; nor can any Catholic doubt that it is an equally certain truth and proved by as cogent arguments that, as Christ is risen from the dead, so we too shall one day arise from the dead. What lesson profitable for our souls shall we now draw from this truth, my dear brethren? Oh, what a comfort for us in adversity and tribulation, what an encouragement in all the difficulties of life, to think: I shall one day arise to everlasting life! And this is the consolation I mean to speak of to-day.
Plan of Discourse.
Faith and hope in the future resurrection to eternal life can and should encourage us to overcome all difficulties, and to bear cheerfully all trials and voluntary mortifications. Such is the whole subject.
That we may in future be encouraged by this hope, give us Thy grace, O Lord, risen from the dead; we ask it of Thee through the intercession of Thy Mother Mary and of our holy guardian angels.
Many disregard suffering and If the hope of recovering his health, suggested by the doctor who gives him the medicine, is a source of consolation to the
- ↑ Non credam.—John xx. 25.
