9781644135945

The Easter Cycle
lifts itself up, abandons the path of sin, and is given back to its mother. The mother rejoices
particularly when these children are restored to her by their Easter confession.
This restoration of life is worked by the prayers and tears of the Church. The grace of repentance,
the conversion from our evil ways, the forgiveness of our sins, has been obtained for us by the
prayers, sacrifices, and works of penance performed by the Church. “She shed tears over each
of her children, as if it were her only child. She suffers the most pain when she sees that her
children fall victims to death through sin” (St. Ambrose).
The tears and prayers of our Holy Mother the Church have not been in vain. We rely
upon the prayers of the Church when we intercede for those of our friends who have wandered
from the straight and narrow path. Sin results in estrangement from God and induces
death. The mouth is dead, for it is no longer open to prayer and conversation with God; the
eyes are dead, for they no longer behold God, but only creatures; the hands are dead, for
they work no longer for God, but against Him; the feet are dead, for they carry us not to
God, but down the path of destruction. There is only one who can help us, only one who
can restore life to our members. In the fullness of His divinity He assumes human nature
and becomes like unto us in all things except sin (Heb 4:15). He is a second Eliseus, He lays
His mouth upon our mouth, His eyes upon our eyes, His hands and feet upon our hands
and feet. He who is the origin of all life puts on the appearance of death; He sanctifies the
dead soul; He opens the silent lips so that they may praise God; He restores light to the
failing eyes so that they may behold the glory of God; He reactivates the stiffened hands
so that they may be lifted to defend the honor of God, and the feet, that they may tread the
way of salvation. The soul thus restored cries out, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all
that is within me, bless His holy name” (Ps 102:1). Jesus is for us the prophet Eliseus. How
grateful we should be for our restoration to the life of grace!
The Church weeps for the sinner. With this holy mother we, too, grieve for our wayward
brothers and sisters who through sin have died and are being carried slowly to their ruin. We
share the anguish of the sorrowing mother, and join her in her impetuous prayer for their salvation.
We, too, can share the redemptive work of the new Eliseus. We can take upon ourselves
the burden of the sins, the errors, the blindness, and the perversity of our neighbors. With the
prophet Eliseus we seek the dead man in his chambers and lay our eyes on his eyes, our mouth
on his mouth, our arms on his arms, in heartfelt love and sympathy. We must not avoid him
or despise him, for we see in him a soul sick unto death. We can offer for him our prayers, our
sacrifices, our works of penance, with the intention of bringing him to salvation. We thus become
all things to all men. “I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from
his way and live” (Ez 33:11).
Prayer
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that chastened by the facts of our devotion, the
devotion itself may also gladden us so that, with our earthly affections subdued, we may the
more easily lay hold on heavenly things.
O God, the Creator and Ruler of Thy people, drive away the sins which beset them,
that being pleasing unto Thee, they may be secure under Thy protection. Through Christ
our Lord. Amen.
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