According to the multitude of my sorrows in my
heart. Thy comforts have given joy to my
soul (Psalm xciii. 19)
Holy Scripture tells us nothing of our Lord's.
appearance after His Resurrection to His Blessed
Mother. It takes it for granted that He must have
appeared first to her. He who doubts it has but a
poor understanding of Mary's part in the work
and life of Jesus. As she was first in sharing His
sufferings, so she was of necessity first in being
partaker of His joy.
How Mary had been longing and praying for
the Resurrection! It is a pious belief that for her
sake those three days were shortened. How eagerly
she had been expecting the dawn of that first
Easter Day! She had been saying over and over
again to herself, "I know that my Redeemer
liveth." She knew that the darkness would, in
God's time, usher in a glorious morning. This
should be my comfort when all seems dark, I, too,
must pray and wait.
What a meeting must that have been! All
her anguish was more than compensated by the
ecstasy of her joy at beholding her Divine Son,
radiant with heavenly beauty, conqueror over hell
and death. See how she falls at His Feet in a
rapture of delight! See how He raises her up
with words of love! Who can tell the exquisite
delight of hearing such words from Jesus' lips?
See the Mother's fond embrace,
See her joy to view Thy face!
When, all bright in radiant bloom,
Thee she welcomed from the tomb.