And Why Some May Ask

Continued 👆🏽 And why, some may ask, was Mary Magdalene not permitted to touch Him (John 20:17)? The teachers have told us: it was not permitted for a woman to touch His risen flesh or draw His Blood. Not because of impurity, but because of divine order for the Apostolic priesthood was to be bearers of the Mystery in the flesh. V. Why Is Thomas Remembered on Tuesday? Let none be troubled that Thomas is remembered on the Tuesday after Resurrection and not on the very day he was granted faith. The Church, in her maternal wisdom, ordained it thus: 1. That the joy of the Resurrection Sunday not be overshadowed; 2. That the unique grace and miracle of Thomas be exalted on its own, drawing the faithful to consider the depth of divine mercy. For when Thomas touched the divine body, it was as if his hand had touched fire so radiant was the glory of the Risen Christ that his sinews were scorched by divinity. That he cried “My Lord and my God” was not mere exclamation, but the voice of one who had seen, touched, and believed. This, therefore, was set apart as a sacred feast by our Fathers. Saint Yared, blessed be his memory, in his sacred hymnal Degwa, named this day Thomas Tuesday and composed divine praises for it, ensuring that it would forever hold its place in the cycle of the Church’s joy. VI. The Cosmic Joy of the Resurrection Behold how the whole cosmos rejoices in the Resurrection! Not men alone, but angels and all creation. As the liturgical chant proclaims: "Let the angels celebrate the Resurrection, Let the heavens rejoice, Let the clouds and the sea and the waves exult, Let the animals and birds join in the festival, Let us, too, celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior, Christ." Why such universal joy? Because, as the teachers explain, the Resurrection is not for man alone it is the renewal of all things. When Adam fell, all creation suffered. When man was reconciled to God, all creation rejoiced. Even as the animals groaned under the curse of sin and the flood in Noah’s time, now they cry out in joy, for salvation has come! VII. The Power Over Death and Resurrection Christ declared: “I have power to lay down My life and to take it up again.” (John 10:17–18). This was no accident or theft He was not slain by fate but offered Himself willingly and rose by His own authority. And as He rose, so too shall the saints rise with Him. Thus, after He was raised, He appeared to Peter first he who had denied Him showing reconciliation, mercy, and the restoration of grace. Then He appeared to the Eleven, confirming them in the truth. And in the final hymn of the Church, we cry: "Hallelujah! The angels of heaven rejoice, Moses rejoices, The heavens exult, The dead are raised in power, For He who is Most High has given us life!" Here, the angels are likened to the heavens and man to the earth, as it is written. The Most High became lowly, that the lowly might rise with Him. Kings and princes surround the throne of God not with fear, but with praise. Let us, like Thomas, move from doubt to confession, from despair to bold faith, and cry out with burning hearts: “My Lord and my God!” Amen. May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always. May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us. Amen. © John's Repentance Reach out to us on our social media platforms and share it with your friends: https://linktr.ee/johnsrepentance