"He has risen, he is not here." St. Mark, 16:6.
The Norman king, Hadding, was laying seige to the town of Luni, Italy. After several days the force of the attack seemed to wane. Soon the beseigers stopped completely. The report reached the city that King Hadding was seriously ill. A few days later the heralds announced that he had died. His last request was to be buried in the cathedral of Luni. If that request were granted, a great deal of money would be left to its churches and hospitals. Eager to secure that money, the people of Luni consented.
Norman knights carried the royal coffin through the gates and into the cathedral. As they set the kingly casket down it suddenly flew open and King Hadding, fully armed, jumped out. His nightly pallbearers drew the swords they had hidden in their cloaks and so n took possession of the town.
Today we honor another King who sprang, orth from the tomb to conquer His enemies.
Nearly two thousand years ago, Christ came forth from His burial place by His own power, came forth to prove that He was truly God, came forth to prove that all He said was true, came forth to fulfill everything foretold of Him, came forth - and, this is important for lovers of the Blessed Sacrament - Christ came forth to prove the truth of His words: "This is My body; This is My blood."
Easter is a day of many victories. It is the day of Christ's victory over sin and death, His victory over doubt and despair and hate, His victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. Especially it is a victory for Christ in the Eucharist.
It is a victory of Eucharistic faith. Now we believe His promise to give His flesh and blood. Now we believe the sublime sentences of last Thursday night: "This is My body; This is My blood."
It is a victory of Eucharistic hope. Now we can hope to rise with the Lord whom we are receiving today. Now we can hope that He will help us rise from our grave of sin.
It is a victory of Eucharistic love. He died out of love for us. He rose out of love for us. He gave us Himself in the Eucharist out of love for us. How can we ever return such love!
In another very striking way Easter is a Eucharistic victory. This day of the Resurrection marks the triumph of Christ over the world, the flesh and the devil.
Jesus won His war with the world more decisively than King Hadding won his war with the city of Luni. On Easter Christ triumphed over the flesh, the flesh that had longed for food and drink during the forty days of His fast, the flesh that had bled and ached in the Passion, the flesh that had gone down to the tomb of death. Easter was Christ's triumph over the devil, the evil one who tempts to pride and hate and despair.
In so far as ours is a Eucharistic Easter is is also a victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. As we receive our Lord this morning we recall that we have conquered many of the distractions and false joys of the world, especially during Lent. We have given up shows and sweets and pleasures, even innocent pleasures. We have sacrificed many of this world's luxuries, particularly in supporting our church, the home of our Eucharistic Lord.
We have conquered the flesh by cutting down on food and drink, by attending the Holy Sacrifice in the early morning, by avoiding the occasions of sin, and, this very morning, by fasting to receive our Lord.
During Lent we conquered the devil, the prince of pride and laziness and indifference. We overcame laziness by attending Lenten devotions and services. We overcame indifference by learning more about the things of God in our Lenten instructions. We overcame pride by a humble, contrite confession.
Truly this is a Eucharistic victory,for Christ and for all who follow Christ, for you and for me. It will be a continual, year-round, a life-long victory, if, with our Lord we continue to triumph over the world, the flesh and the devil.
As Christ rose from the tomb on that first Easter, so Christ has risen from His tomb in the tabernacle, has gone forth to His friends, goes forth to you and me during Mass, when He will come into our hearts, a victorious, triumphant King, a loving, inspiring, all-powerful King.
May this Easter stir up our faith in the Blessed Sacrament. May it stir up our faith in our Eucharistic Jesus. May it spur on our determination to receive Him as frequently and fervently as possible. Then the victory of Easter will be a monthly, a weekly, even a daily victory. Then this Easter will be happy, happy in itself, and happy in what it promises. That is my wish to you today - Happy Easter!
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Adapted from Talks on the Sacraments
by Fr. Arthur Tonne,OFM (© 1947)
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