TEMPUS PASCHATIS
OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE MEDITATIONS ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
The meditation of the Mysteries which followed the Resurrection of the Redeemer belongs to the unitive way. In these exercises, the soul unites itself to God by making His will its own, and by adhering to the divine will as the rule of all good, according to the Apostle: "He who adheres to the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17) Hence, the unitive way has different affections peculiar to it, which ought to be indulged during the ensuing meditations. The chief subjects of these affections are as follows:
I.
Admiration of the majesty of God and the divine perfections which we contemplate.
II.
Joy and contentment, because God is absolutely perfect in Himself, infinitely good to others, and admirable in all His works.
III.
Praise and thanksgiving for His favors and benefits, with a desire of seeing and enjoying Him in order to honor and obey Him.
IV.
Zeal of God's glory and the good of souls, wishing that all the world may come to the knowledge and love of their Redeemer.
V.
Confidence in the goodness and Providence of God, united with a filial respect, and the fear of being separated from Him by sin, and a sincere regret for having ever incurred His just indignation.
VI.
Desire of the heavenly things which we contemplate. Everything on earth ought to appear trifling to us when we look up to heaven and say with the Prophet: "How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul languisheth and fainteth in the courts of the Lord." (Ps. 83:2) "As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so my soul panteth after Thee, O God!" (Ps. 41:2)
By entertaining such affections as these, we ought to aim at that happy state in which, "beholding the glory of God with face uncovered, we may be transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. 3:18) We should thus endeavor to become like to Him, by uniting our wills with His, and by increasing daily more and more in the knowledge and love of Him, until at length, passing from this dark pilgrimage of human life, we may arrive at our own bright native country, and enjoy the Beatific Vision for all eternity.