Sebastiano Ricci, The Ressurection
Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen (St Luke 24:5)
Celebrations! Even if the most important feasts do not come very often, my heart is brought to celebrate one every Sunday....That is God's feast, the feast of rest...The whole family goes to Mass (St Therese 'The Story of a Soul).
Live as though only God and yourself were in this world, so that your heart may not be detained by anything human. (St John of the Cross, The Collected Works, Sayings 123-158).
God never works these marvels except when they are a necessity for believing. Lest his disciples go without merit by having sensible proof of his resurrection, he did many things to further their belief before they saw him. Mary Magdalene was first shown the empty sepulcher, and afterward the angels told her about the resurrection so she would, by hearing, believe before seeing. As St. Paul says: Faith comes through hearing [Rom. 10:17]. And though she beheld him, he seemed only an ordinary man, so by the warmth of his presence he could finish instructing her in the belief she was lacking [Mt. 28:1-6; Lk. 24:4-10; Jn. 20:11-18]. And the women were sent to tell the disciples first; then these disciples set out to see the sepulcher [Mt. 28:7-8]. And journeying incognito to Emmaus with two of his followers, he inflamed their hearts in faith before allowing them to see [Lk. 24:15-32]. Finally he reproved all his disciples for refusing to believe those who had told them of his resurrection [Mk.16:14]. And announcing to St. Thomas that they are blessed who believe without seeing, he reprimanded him for desiring to experience the sight and touch of his wounds [Jn. 20:25, 29].(St John of the Cross, 'Ascend of Mt Carmel, part 3 ch.31)
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