Kempis concludes his chapter on the self by pointing to the Other (2,5).  It is only in doing God’s will and looking to that which is above and eternal that we find interior peace.

Continuing yesterday’s joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from John, Matthew today goes on to relate the immediate aftermath of that glorious event beginning with the Marys’ encounter at the empty tomb with a messenger from God inducing fear (angels are imposing creatures) and joy (Jesus is risen!) (Mt 28:8-15).  They rush to tell the apostles this news as ordered when they encounter Jesus in the flesh (see the headline) and their joy is complete.

Who else but Jesus could have given these women “true consolation of the soul and true joy of the heart”?  They who had been with Him and supported Him and His ministry for years were lost at His death.  They must have been looking very much forward to seeing Him again in the next life.  Little did they expect that they would seem Him alive less than forty hours after witnessing the closure of the tomb.

As the women initially thought, we may also believe that our encounter with the risen Christ will come only at the moment of death.  If that is so, we could not be more mistaken.  We encounter the Eternal Word in prayer, in our hearts, in others, and most specially in the Holy Eucharist.  If only we have eyes to see Him!

Let us pray for the supernatural lenses to perceive our Lord in this life, and act accordingly, so that we can be happy with Him forever in the next life.  Alleluia!