2494. Tertio commendatur eius devotio ex inquisitionis diligentia. Unde dicit dum ergo fleret, inclinavit se et prospexit in monumentum. Fletus enim iste ex desiderio amoris proveniebat. Natura enim amoris est quod velit dilectum praesentem habere, et si hoc non potest in re, saltem eius praesentiam habet in cognitione. Matth. VI, 21: ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est et cor tuum. Amare ergo flebat Maria, quia oculi qui Dominum quaesierant et non invenerant, lacrymis vacabant, amplius dolens quod ablatus fuit de monumento: quoniam magistri tanti, cuius vita subtracta fuerat, memoria remanebat. Et ideo quia eum habere non poterat, volens saltem videre locum ubi positus fuerat, inclinavit se, et prospexit in monumentum. In quo datur intelligi quod in mortem Christi debemus prospicere cum humilitate cordis. Matth. II, 25: abscondisti haec a sapientibus et prudentibus, et revelasti ea parvulis. Et prospexit, ut daret exemplum continue oculis mentis mortem Christi prospicere: quia amanti semel aspexisse non sufficit, cuius vis amoris intentionem multiplicat inquisitionis. Hebr. XII, 2: aspicientes in auctorem fidei et consummatorem Iesum, qui proposito sibi gaudio, sustinuit crucem confusione contempta.
2494. Third, her devotion is admired because of her earnest search for Christ, and as she was weeping she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. This weeping of Mary came from the desire of love. For it is the nature of love to want its beloved present; and if the beloved cannot be really present, it at least wants to think of the beloved, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt 6:21). Mary shed these bitter tears because the eyes which had sought her Lord and did not find him were now freed for tears, and she grieved the more because he had been taken from the tomb. The life of such a teacher had been destroyed, but his memory remained. Since Mary could not have him present, she wanted at least to look at the place where he had been buried, so she stooped to look into the tomb. We learn from this that we should look at the death of Christ with a humble heart: you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes (Matt 11:25). She stooped and looked, giving us the example to look continually on the death of Christ with the eyes of our mind, for one look is not enough for one who loves, for the force of love increases the desire to explore: looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb 12:2).
Inclinavit autem se, et prospexit, quia caritas Christi eam urgebat. II Cor. V, 14: caritas Christi urget nos. Vel potius, secundum Augustinum, divino instinctu in animo eius factum est ut perspiceret, et altius aliquid videret, scilicet angelos; Rom. VIII, 14: qui Spiritu Dei aguntur, hi sunt filii Dei.
She stooped down and looked, pressed down by the love of Christ: the love of Christ presses us (2 Cor 5:14). Or again, according to Augustine, by a divine impulse in her soul she was made to look about, and saw something greater, the angels; for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Rom 8:14).
2495. Consequenter cum dicit et vidit duos angelos in albis sedentes, agit Evangelista de angelorum visione: circa quam quatuor tangit Evangelista.
2495. Next the Evangelist describes the sight of the angels: and she saw two angels in white, sitting. He mentions four things.
2496. Primo quid vidit, quia duos angelos: ut ostendat quod omnes angelorum ordines tam assistentium quam ministrantium Christo obsequebantur. Hebr. I, 6: adorent eum omnes angeli eius.
2496. First, what Mary saw, which was that she saw two angels, which goes to show that all orders of angels, both those assisting and those ministering, were in service to Christ: let all God’s angels worship him (Heb 6:1).
Sed circa hoc est quaestio: quia Matth. v. 2 ss. et Mc. ult., 5 dicitur, quod Maria et aliae mulieres viderunt unum angelum existentem in latere monumenti, hic autem dicitur quod duos et intus.
A question arises here because Matthew and Mark say that Mary and the other women saw one angel on the right side of the tomb (Matt 28:2; Mark 16:5), while here we have two angels and they are inside.
Sed utrumque verum est: quia illud praecessit quod narrant Matthaeus et Marcus, quando scilicet primo venerunt, et credentes eum sublatum, redierunt ad discipulos; et istud, quod narrat Ioannes, contigit in reditu, quando rediit cum discipulis, et eis recedentibus ipsa remansit.
Each one is correct, for Matthew and Mark tell what occurred first, when the women first came, and believing that Christ was taken, returned to the disciples. But John recounts what happened after Mary returned with the disciples and remained after they had left.
2497. Secundo describit habitum, quia in albis: per quod claritas resurrectionis et gloria Christi resurgentis demonstratur. Apoc. c. III, 4: ambulabunt mecum in albis. Et eiusdem XIX, 14, dicitur quod exercitus qui est in caelo sequebatur eum in veste alba, idest gloriosa.
2497. Second, he mentions their raiment, in white. This shows the splendor of the resurrection and the glory of the risen Christ: they will walk with me in white (Rev 3:4). Indeed, we read that the armies of heaven followed him and were clothed in white, that is, raised to heavenly glory (Rev 19:14).
2498. Tertio describit situm, quia sedentes: per quod quies et potestas Christi designatur, qui iam ab omnibus tribulationibus requiescens regnat in carne immortali, sedens ad dexteram Patris. Ps. CIX, 1: sede a dextris meis; Is. IX, 7: super solium David et super regnum eius sedebit.
2498. Third, we see that they were sitting. This indicates the calmness and power of Christ, who being now at rest from all afflictions, reigns in immortal flesh and sitting at the right hand of the Father: sit at my right hand (Ps 110:1); he will sit upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom (Isa 9:7).
2499. Quarto describit ordinem, unum ad caput, et unum ad pedes: quod potest referri ad tria. Primo quidem ad duo Testamenta: ‘angelus’ enim Graece, Latine dicitur nuntius. Christum autem annuntiaverant Testamenta, quia dicitur Matth. XXI, 9: turba quae praeibat et quae sequebatur, clamabat: hosanna Filio David. Sic ergo angelus sedens ad caput, signat Vetus Testamentum, et, qui ad pedes, Novum.
2499. Fourth, we see how they were positioned, one at the head, and one at the feet. We can refer this to three things. First, to the two Testaments. The word ‘angel’ in Greek means messenger, and both Testaments brought messages about Christ: and the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted: hosanna to the Son of David! (Matt 21:9). So the angel sitting at the head signifies the Old Testament, and the angel at the feet the New Testament.
Secundo ad praedicatores. In Christo enim est duplex natura, divina scilicet, et humana. Caput autem Christi est Deus, ut dicitur I Cor. XI, 3, pedes vero humanitas; Ps. CXXXI, v. 7: adorabimus in loco ubi steterunt pedes eius. Qui ergo annuntiat divinitatem Christi, sicut est illud: in principio erat Verbum, sedet ad caput; qui vero humanitatem annuntiat, sicut illud: Verbum caro factum est, sedet ad pedes.
Second, we can relate this to those who preach Christ. There are two natures in Christ, the divine and the human; the head of Christ is God (1 Cor 11:3), and the feet of Christ are his human nature: we will adore in the place where his feet stood (Ps 132:7). So, those who preach the divinity of Christ, as in in the beginning was the Word (John 1:1), are sitting at the head; those who preach his humanity, as in and the Word became flesh (John 1:14), are sitting at the feet.
Tertio potest referri ad tempus annuntiationis; et sic sed et unus ad caput, et unus ad pedes: quia ab initio usque ad finem mundi mysteria Christi significabant esse annuntianda. I Cor. II, 26: mortem Domini annuntiabitis donec veniat.
Third, this can refer to the time when the mysteries of Christ are announced. Then one angel sits at the head and the other at the feet because they signified that the mysteries of Christ would be announced from the head or beginning of the world to its end: you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Cor 11:26).
2500. Consequenter cum dicit dicunt ei: mulier, quid ploras? Agitur de angelorum allocutione, et
2500. Next, the Evangelist gives the greeting of the angels: they said to her: woman, why do you weep?
primo ponit angelorum interrogationem;
first their question;
secundo mulieris responsionem.
and then Mary’s answer.
2501. Circa primum sciendum est, quod angeli scientes mulierem adhuc dubitare, quasi a remotis incipientes causam fletus exquirunt. Unde dicit: dicunt illi, scilicet angeli, quid ploras? Quasi dicerent: plorare noli, supervacuum enim est, quia ad vesperum, scilicet passionis, demorabitur fletus, et ad matutinum, resurrectionis, laetitia; Ier. XXXI, 16: quiescat vox tua a ploratu, et oculi tui a lacrymis, quia est merces operi tuo.
2501. Concerning the first, the angels knew that Mary was uncertain about the resurrection and so as if beginning anew they asked her the reason for her tears: they, the angels, said to her, woman, why do you weep? This was like saying: do not cry for there is no need for it, because weeping may tarry for the night, of the passion, but joy comes with the morning, of the resurrection (Ps 30:5); keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded (Jer 31:16).
Ubi notandum, secundum Gregorium, quod ipsa sacra eloquia quae in nobis lacrymas amoris excitant, easdem lacrymas consolantur, dum nobis Redemptoris nostri spem repromittunt. Ps. XCIII, 19: secundum multitudinem dolorum meorum, consolationes tuae laetificaverunt animam meam.
In this regard we can recall to mind that Gregory said that the very same sacred words which excite our tears of love console those same tears when they promise us hope in our Redeemer: when the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul (Ps 94:19).
2502. Sed mulier quasi nescientes eos interrogasse putans, non angelos, sed homines esse putat, et causam fletus sui exponit, et dicit eis: tulerunt Dominum meum, idest corpus Domini mei, a toto partem significans: sicut confitemur Dominum Iesum Christum Filium Dei sepultum, cum eius sola sepulta sit caro, quia divinitas carnem non deseruit. Et nescio ubi posuerunt eum. Hoc enim erat ei causa desolationis, quia nesciebat quo iret, et eum ad consolationem sui doloris inveniret.
2502. Mary thought that they were questioning her because of their ignorance, and regarded them not as angels but as men; so she gave the reason for her tears: they have taken away my Lord, that is, the body of my Lord. Here she was referring to a part by mentioning the whole, just like we profess that the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God was buried, although only his flesh was buried, because his divinity was never separated from his flesh. And I do not know where they have laid him. This was the reason for her desolation; she did not know where to go to find him to soothe her sorrow.
2503. Sed numquid ad consolationem amantis est habere aliquid quod fuit amici? Et quidem, secundum Augustinum, IV Confessionum, magis pertinet ad dolorem. Unde ipse dicit, quod fugiebat omnia loca in quibus conversatus fuerat cum amico suo. Et tamen Chrysostomus dicit, quod est ad consolationem.
2503. Is it a consolation for one who loves to have something that belonged to the beloved? According to Augustine, in his Confessions, this would be more a cause of sorrow. For this reason he said that he fled from all the places where he had formerly spent time with his friend. Still, Chrysostom says that this would be a cause of consolation.
Sed utrumque est verum. In omnibus enim quae habent admixtionem gaudii et tristitiae, spes rei desideratae est delectabilis, Rom. c. XII, 12: spe gaudentes, in tribulatione patientes, est etiam et tristabilis, quia spes quae differtur affligit animam: sed non secundum eamdem rationem. Nam inquantum per spem repraesentatur res amata ut possibilis consequi, causat gaudium; inquantum autem separat actu, absens contristatur. Et sic est in isto loco: quia res amici inquantum repraesentat amicum, amanti delectabilis est; inquantum vero subtractionem amici ad memoriam reducit, tristitiam infert.
Each of these is true. In all cases where there is a mixture of joy and sadness, the hope for the thing desired brings pleasure: rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation (Rom 12:12), and also brings sorrow: hope deferred makes the heart sick (Prov 13:12). But hope does not cause these from the same point of view. Hope causes joy because it regards the thing loved as able to be obtained; but insofar as this thing is actually absent it produces sorrow. It is like that here; something belonging to a friend, because it stands for the friend, is pleasant to the lover; while inasmuch as it recalls the absence of the one loved it produces sadness.
Lectio 3
Lecture 3
Christus ad Mariam Magdalenam apparet
Christ appears to Mary Magdalene
20:14 Haec cum dixisset, conversa est retrorsum, et vidit Iesum stantem, et non sciebat quia Iesus est. [n. 2505]
20:14 When she had said this, she turned around, and saw Jesus standing; and she did not know that it was Jesus. [n. 2505]
20:15 Dicit ei Iesus: mulier, quid ploras? Quid quaeris? Illa existimans quia hortulanus esset, dixit ei: domine, si tu sustulisti eum, dicito mihi ubi posuisti eum; et ego eum tollam. [n. 2507]
20:15 Jesus said to her: woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek? She, thinking it was the gardener, said to him: lord, if you have taken him from here, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. [n. 2507]
20:16 Dicit ei Iesus: Maria. Conversa illa dixit ei: Rabboni: quod dicitur, Magister. [n. 2513]
20:16 Jesus said to her: Mary. She, turning, said to him: Rabboni, which is to say, Master. [n. 2513]
20:17 Dicit ei Iesus: noli me tangere: nondum enim ascendi ad Patrem meum. Vade autem ad fratres meos, et dic eis: ascendo ad Patrem meum et Patrem vestrum, Deum meum et Deum vestrum. [n. 2515]
20:17 Jesus said to her: do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say to them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God. [n. 2515]
20:18 Venit Maria Magdalene annuntians discipulis: quia vidi Dominum, et haec dixit mihi. [n. 2522]
20:18 Mary Magdalen went and said to the disciples: I have seen the Lord, and he said these things to me. [n. 2522]
2504. Hic ponitur quomodo mulier ista pervenit ad Christi visionem, et
2504. Now the Evangelist shows how Mary came to see Christ:
primo agitur de Christi visione;
first, he tells how she saw Christ;
secundo de eius a muliere cognitione, ibi dixit ei Iesus, noli me tangere etc.
second, how he was recognized by her: Jesus said to her: do not touch me.
Circa primum
Concerning the first,
primo ponit Christi visionem;
we see her seeing Christ;
secundo eius allocutionem, ibi dicit ei Iesus: mulier, quid ploras?
and then what Christ said to her: Jesus said to her: woman, why do you weep?
2505. Dicit ergo quantum ad primum haec cum dixisset, scilicet Maria Magdalena ad angelum, conversa est retrorsum.
2505. First, then, when she had said this, that is, when Mary said this to the angels, she turned around.
Sed quaerit Chrysostomus: mulier quae loquebatur cum angelis, quos saltem venerandos viros putabat, quare non expectabat eorum responsum de hoc quod dixit, sed retrorsum convertitur?
Chrysostom wonders why Mary, who was speaking to the angels, whom she considered to be at least men deserving of respect, turned around before they had answered her.
Responsio. Dicendum, quod cum mulier angelis respondisset, Christus advenit, cui angeli reverentiam exhibentes assurrexerunt, quod videns mulier admirans respexit retro, ut sciret ad quid assurrexissent. Unde et Lucas ult., 4 angelos stantes visos esse commemorat. Et sic retrorsum ad aspiciendum conversa, vidit Iesum stantem, et non sciebat quia Iesus est: videbat enim eum in specie non gloriosum, quem angeli gloriosum videntes honorabant.
The answer is that while Mary was responding to the angels’ question, Christ arrived and the angels stood out of reverence. When Mary saw this, she was puzzled and turned around to see what had made them stand up. Thus in Luke mention is made that the two angels were seen standing (Luke 24:4). She turned around, and saw Jesus standing; and she did not know that it was Jesus; she was seeing him not in the splendor of his glory, whom the blessed angels honor in glory.
Ostenditur etiam per hoc, quod si aliquis Christum videre desiderat, oportet quod ad eum convertatur. Zach. I, 3: convertimini ad me, ait Dominus exercituum, et convertar ad vos. Illi ad eum videndum perveniunt qui se totaliter in eum, per amorem convertunt. Sap. VI, 14: praeoccupat eos qui se concupiscunt.
We see from this that if anyone desires to see Christ, they must turn round to him: return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you (Zech 1:3). Those come to the point of seeing him who entirely turn themselves to him by love: she hastens to make herself known to those who desire her (Wis 6:14).