1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought sweet spices, that coming, they might anoint Jesus.
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VERS. 1.-- *And when the sabbath was past.* Luke says that returning from the monument they prepared spices and ointments, and on the sabbath they rested, because it had been commanded that the silence of the sabbath, etc., *as far as* with face enlightened, the darkness of vices being shaken off, to offer to the Lord the odour of good works and the sweetness of prayers. Now with fragrant spices they run with the bride and the young maidens, after her we sprinkle the book, that is, the couch, etc., *as far as* and the Lord rising again in it with triumph and saying: *This is the day which the Lord hath made,* etc..
2 And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen.
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VERS. 2.-- *And very early.* Which another calls the dawning. The dawning is between the darkness of the night and the brightness of the day, in which salvation came, to be made known in the Church after the manner of the sun, which rising sends the rosy dawn before it, so that so great a splendour may be seen by eyes made ready, when the time of the Lord's resurrection shone forth, that then the whole church of holy women might sing the praises of Christ, when he bestowed life and poured in the light of belief.
3 And they said one to another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
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VERS. 3.-- *And they said one to another.* The eagles are gathered to the body, the martyrs and the apostles see the stone rolled away, which is the law of death, as if he should say: *Where is, O death, thy sting*?
4 And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. For it was very great.
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VERS. 4.-- *The stone rolled back.* Matthew says: how was the stone rolled away by the angel? But allegorically, the rolling away of the stone signifies the resurrection of the mysteries of Christ, which had been covered by the veil of the letter of the law. For the law was written on stone, and when its covering was taken away the glory of the resurrection was shown forth, and the abolition of the ancient death, and the everlasting life that is to be hoped for by us began to be preached throughout the whole world.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: and they were astonished.
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VERS. 5.-- *A young man.* Not an old man, not an infant, but pleasant in age, as it is said: *Rejoice, young man, in thy youth*, which here is not true while it is mingled with old age. The women who came with spices see angels, because those minds behold the citizens above which come to God with virtues through holy desires. *Sitting on the right side.* Toward the southern part of that place where he had been laid, etc., *as far as* entering into the monument they found two angels standing there. By the left hand is the present life, by the right the life eternal, etc., *as far as* and restoring them to the number of the angels he repaired the losses of the heavenly country.
6 Who saith to them: Be not affrighted. you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen: he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.
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VERS. 6.-- *Be not affrighted.* As if: Let them fear who love not the coming of the Lord or of the citizens above, who, weighed down by vices, despair of their fellowship. But you, why do you fear, who see your own fellow-citizens? Whence Matthew, describing the angel's appearing, says: *His countenance was as lightning, and his garments as snow*. *Jesus.* Salvation. But because many were called by this name not substantially but by appellation, he determines it by the place, Nazarene, and adds the cause: *Crucified.* And he adds: *He is risen, he is not here.* By the presence of the flesh, who nevertheless is nowhere absent by the presence of his majesty. *Behold the place.* Mortality is shown to mortals for the giving of due thanks, that we may understand what we are and have been, and may know what we shall be.
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. There you shall see him, as he told you.
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VERS. 7.-- *And to Peter.* Peter is called by name, lest he despair because of his denial. For unless, etc., *as far as* that he who was to be the shepherd of the Church might learn in his own fault how he ought to have mercy on others. *And to Peter.* He shows himself unworthy of discipleship when he thrice denies his master. But past sins do not hurt when they do not please. *He goeth before you.* Well is it said of our Redeemer: for Galilee is interpreted a passing over accomplished. For he had already passed over from the passion to the resurrection, from death to life, from punishment to glory. And well is he seen by the disciples in Galilee after the resurrection, because the glory of his resurrection we shall afterwards see with joy, if only we now pass over from vices to the height of the virtues. He therefore who is announced in the sepulchre is shown in the passing over; and he who is known in the mortification of the flesh is seen in the passing over of the mind. Note that Mark says: *He goeth before you into Galilee,* etc. Nor yet did he relate that he was seen there. But Matthew, etc., *as far as* as he shall be known in that eternity, whither he will also lead us through the form of a servant, that being free we may contemplate the form of the Lord.
8 But they going out, fled from the sepulchre: for a trembling and fear had seized them. And they said nothing to any man: for they were afraid.
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VERS. 8.-- *They fled.* Of the life to come it is said: *Sorrow and mourning shall flee away.* The women before the resurrection of all imitate what they do afterwards, that is, what they are to do, they flee death and dread. *And to no one.* Because they alone see the mystery of the resurrection who have deserved it, whence, according to John: *But Peter rising up ran to the monument,* that he might see what he had heard.
9 But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen; out of whom he had cast seven devils.
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VERS. 9.-- *But rising.* In the morning he rose, in the evening he was buried, that he might fulfil this: *In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness*. Buried therefore on the sixth day of the week, which is called the parasceve, about evening, through the following night and the sabbath day, laid in the monument with the night following, on the third day, that is, at first light on the first day of the week, he rose again. And fittingly he lay one day and two nights in the sepulchre, because he joined the light of his own single death to the darkness of our twofold death. For we were held in the death of the soul and of the spirit, whence he brought to us his own, that is, the death of the flesh, and loosed our two: his single he set against our twofold, and dying he took away our twofold. *He appeared first to Mary Magdalen.* He is shown first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had cast seven demons: because harlots and publicans go before the Synagogue into the kingdom of God, as the thief went before the apostles. The apostles weep and mourn, because they have not yet seen, but soon they shall be comforted. In the beginning the woman was to the man the author of guilt, the man the executor of the error, etc., *as far as* that she might announce the resurrection to the evangelists and apostles themselves.
10 She went and told them that had been with him, who were mourning and weeping.
11 And they hearing that he was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe.
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VERS. 11.-- *And they hearing.* That the disciples are slow to believe the resurrection is not so much their weakness as our strength; for to them that doubted the resurrection was shown by many proofs, by which we also are the more firmly established.
12 And after that he appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were going into the country.
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VERS. 12.-- *To two of them.* This Luke has more openly: *Their eyes,* etc. Afterwards they knew him in the breaking of bread. And as Luke says: *Rising up the same hour they went back to Jerusalem,* etc. *As they walked.* Faith labours here, leading the active life, there the contemplative, etc., *as far as* forgetful of his own flesh he asks in this life what after it we hope for in the life to come.
13 And they going told it to the rest: neither did they believe them.
14 At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again.
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VERS. 14.-- *Last of all,* etc. On the fortieth day, when he was now about to depart from them into heaven, this to them especially, etc., *as far as: Going into the whole world, preach ye the Gospel.* *The hardness of heart,* etc. That there may succeed a heart of flesh full of charity: hence it is that the troops of the martyrs willingly seek the death of this world, because they know that for a temporal destruction they shall live for ever.
15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.
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VERS. 15.-- *To every creature.* To every nation of the Gentiles. For before it had been said: *Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles*: namely, that the preaching of the apostles, first driven back from Judea, might then be made a help to the Gentiles. To the whole human race, which has something in common with every creature, with angels, with cattle, with trees, with stones, with fire and water, with hot and cold, with wet and dry, because man is called a lesser world.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall he condemned.
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VERS. 16.-- *He that believeth,* etc. Little ones believe through others, as from others they drew those things which are remitted to them in baptism, their sins.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues.
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VERS. 17.-- *And signs,* etc. Is it then that if we work not signs we do not believe? But these were necessary in the beginning, that faith might be nourished by miracles, but now that the faith of the Church is confirmed they are not necessary. *They shall cast out demons,* etc. This the Church does today spiritually, when through the grace of exorcism she lays her hand upon believers and drives out the malignant spirits. *They shall speak with new tongues.* This comes to pass while the faithful leave behind the worldly words of their former life, and sound forth holy mysteries, and extol the praises and the power of God as much as they are able.
18 They shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hand upon the sick: and they shall recover.
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VERS. 18.-- *If they shall drink any deadly thing,* etc. While they hear pestilent persuasions, and do not carry them through even to deeds, thereby it does them no hurt if they drink a deadly thing. *They shall lay hands upon the sick,* etc. While they strengthen their neighbours, confirmed in good work, by the example of good working, they lay hands upon the sick, and they shall do well. These miracles are the greater by so much as they are spiritual; for by this souls are raised up, not bodies.
19 And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God.
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VERS. 19.-- *Into heaven.* Note that sometimes the heavens in the plural and sometimes heaven in the singular, etc., *as far as* where the belief of the faithful is instructed more by deeds than by words. *And he sitteth on the right hand.* And now judging all things, at the end of all he is to come as Judge. But Stephen saw him standing, because in the contest he had him as helper.
20 But they going forth preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.
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VERS. 20.-- *But they,* etc. Note that by how much the later Mark began his Gospel, by so much, etc., *as far as* whereby the apostles sowed that same word of the Gospel throughout the whole world.