Jesu, Thy word is unchangeable and Thy truth is made known from age to age, the same in itself, however adapting itself to our changeful necessities and the growing gifts of Thy grace.

My son, thou must never omit that which I have commanded thee to do, as if by some subsequent gift of My love I had set the previous commandment aside. I change not, and thou must be attentive to fulfil what I have said.

Yea, Lord, step by step will I follow Thee. That which Thou hast commanded I will observe. That which Thou hast promised I will expect. That which Thou givest I will cherish, and all things thus according to Thy holy will shall lead me on to know that which Thou art.

73

MEDITATION VIII.

Peter and John.

Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. And they ran both together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in. Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, which came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again unto their own home.-St. John xx.3-10.

1. THE ARRIVAL OF THE DISCIPLES.

I was natural that St. John should outrun the older Apostle. Not only his age but the more fervid character of his temperament would make this a probable

event.

The Magdalen had brought the tidings to them both, so that they started together. Probably they came off immediately, so that there was no time to communicate with the Blessed Virgin before leaving home. Salome, as we know, was absent at the moment.

St. John may have abstained from entering the sepulchre by fear of defilement through contact with the place of death. When Peter had gone in he was ready to follow. The whole narrative is strikingly illustrative of the personal character of the two disciples.

It seems, however, equally naturally and almost.

necessarily to set before us a symbolism of the Christian Church. Peter and John represent not only two forms of life, but also represent the Jewish and the Gentile or Catholic manifestations of the Church, the circumcision and the uncircumcision.

St. John arriving first at the grave is the impersonation of human nature in its eager longing for the Redeemer. Mankind hasten to the grave of Christ by religious aspirations. The heart testifies to its need of a Saviour. All the religions of antiquity pointed to the Passion of Christ. Jesus is as it were buried beneath their forms, however distorted the representation may be. Their teachings lead to those vestiges of ancient tradition which told of Him, but in which He could not be found. None of those ordinances could remove the great stone which hid Him from sight. He rose from the dead by a power which those ancient rites could not evoke, nor even explain. Those religions do not avail to effect an entrance for any into the grave of Jesus.

St. Peter enters into the grave. The Jewish covenant provides a teaching respecting the expected Messiah which ought to lead those who believe the Old Testament to enter into the grave and become disciples of the New. As he enters the tomb he beholds the graveclothes lying. When we come to the grave of Jesus we see that the ordinances of the Jewish law are only as graveclothes. The yet unquickened Body of Christ was in some manner wrapt up in them, but now He is risen and they are left.

Nevertheless the real apprehension of Christ's resurrection in the fulness of its spiritual power was

not given to the Jewish nation. They had looked forward to Christ as fulfilling in some way both the law and the prophets. But it was with the gaze of wonder, not of spiritual understanding, that they looked to Christ. He was risen and was out of the

reach of their scrutiny.

The Gospel must first be preached to the Jews, but upon their repudiation would be given to the Gentiles. So did St. John, the representative of the new covenant of the Catholic Church, enter into the grave and he saw and believed. His faith was of a higher order than the faith of St. Peter. It was not the mere faith in a compulsory law. It was the keensighted faith of inspired love. This is that faith which Jesus as the author of the new covenant will awaken in His people. The Christian Church contemplates the resurrection of Jesus as a Divine mystery. Her heart rises up to the mystery which is exhibited with anticipations akin to the Divine promise. In the fellowship of this mystery she recognises the opened Heaven and the glory of her vocation. Forms as things of earth are empty still, but as the Sacraments of grace they are seen by her not as if they lay upon the ground, but as filled abidingly with the presence of the risen Lord.

O Jesu, let me hasten to Thy tomb. There shall I learn to know Thee all the more truly because my outward eye can no longer see Thee.

My son, hasten to My grave by dying to the world in the power of My grace. Let thy love draw thee more powerfully than any words of

outward law. Yea, let thy love outstrip all law. blessed love which cannot be satisfied until it has drawn thee to My grave.

Good Lord, shall I come to Thy grave and find Thee gone? Surely if I come to seek Thee now I shall find Thee ever near.

Ah, My son, thou findest Me near by finding Me gone. I am gone from the measures of earth that I may welcome thee with the power of Heaven.

I pause at the gateway of Thy tomb and fear to enter in. I cannot come too near Thee, and yet I tremble at the thought of meeting Thee. Shall I meet Thee or shall I not meet Thee? O my God, either way I tremble.

have prepared the way.

I must pause until Thou

My son, I ordained the ancient law for this very purpose. That should bring My people to know the truth of My love. There have I set forth in manifold types the heavenly glory of the covenant which was to follow. That law will surely guide thee that thou mayest look into the grave where I have lain, and learn the power of the life wherein I am risen.

Yea, Lord Jesu, Thou hast vouchsafed to subject Thyself to the law for our sakes, and Thou hast freed us from the curse by Thy resurrection. All the gifts of Thy covenant are full of Thy heavenly power. How shall I praise Thee for that which Thou hast done? Raise me out of sin! Raise me out of earth! Raise me out of self! To know that Thou art risen is to know that Thou wilt give me life for ever.