hatred and love everlastingly watch near the Saviour.

Night comes once more with its dreary solitude and the same mental anguish, but this night, too, finally passes. Mary can restrain herself no longer; whilst it is still dark, she hastens through the streets of Jerusalem towards the sepulchre. "And on the first day in the week, Mary Magdalen cometh early, when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre: and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre."*) A horrible suspicion rises within her: have they profaned the tomb? And in her fright, she runs to tell Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved: "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Both hastened to the sepulchre, inspected it, and found "the linen cloth lying, and the napkin that had been about His head not lying with the linen cloth, but apart, rapt up into one place.... they saw all, and departed again for their home."

Yes, these men, these Apostles, the future head of the Church and John, the disciple, loving and beloved, know nothing better

*) John, XX. 1-18.

He is

than to return home.... Not so Mary. not here anymore, where is He? That is what torments her, what causes her agony. Forsaken again by those who could and should have helped her, with a mind darkened by sorrow, what can she do to find the body of her adorable Lord?

Such is the anxiety of a soul that, having felt God's presence and tasted His sweetness, finds itself bereft of it. It suffers, and nothing in Heaven and earth can satisfy its craving.

"But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping." To long for God, and to seek Him, brings Him near. Magdalen, who, in spite of the contempt of the guests and the bickering of Judas, had persisted in honoring the Saviour at the Pharisee's banquet, who, despite the hatred of the judges, had followed Him to Calvary; who had stood by when His disciples fled and Heaven itself seemed to be shut against Him; who had come to the sepulchre morning and evening; who had loved so much and now, in His death, mourns the loss of her all and weeps bitterly;-she is to be the first to see the Saviour arisen, before any other women, even before the Apostles.

Jesus, however, makes Himself known by degrees only.

"Now as she was weeping, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre: and she saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head, and one at the feet where the body had lain. They say to her: Woman, why weepest thou? She saith to them: Because they have taken away my Lord: and I know not where they have laid Him."

Ye Christian souls that weep, behold what happens, and do not despair! Your angel will come to your rescue also; he will suggest cheerful thoughts, he will bring about the unexpected, he will direct some helping hand towards you. Mary already enters upon the road of consolation: she is led out of her sorrows. Is it not a privilege to be questioned by angels, the guardians of the Lord? Will she not learn some news about her God's disappearance? However, she does not recognize them, she does not understand the happy news that the Saviour's day of triumph over death has dawned. Thus misery often prevents us from feeling the help God has already sent us. Yet what Mary saw were real angels; why is she sightbound?

All at once, she hears something behind. her. She looks up. No doubt, that is the

gardener. He says to her: "Woman, why · weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?" What, Lord, dost Thou not know whom she is seeking? Thou dost; but to instruct us and to soothe her, she shall repeat it and once more breathe forth her love and sorrow. She replied: "Sir, if thou hast taken Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him: and I will take Him away."

Darkness disappears, angels and secrets vanish; Jesus reveals Himself. For it was He. "Mary!" says He. "Teacher!" cries. she. One word from each-that is enoughone word to understand and answer each other! In spite of all the graces granted, the soul often stays in doubt; but when it hears the voice of God, so distinct from all other voices, it hesitates no longer.

Word of God, speak to our soul in its affliction, speak to it, and it will fly to Thee as the center of its life. Word of God, aid us not only by Thy angels and their inspirations, by Thy priests and their instructions, by Thy sacraments and their consolations, by the events that, in slow wisdom, Thy Providence disposes: come to our aid directly, speak but one word, O Jesus, one single word, and we

shall be comforted! Thus "Jesus, rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom He had cast seven devils," but who, since, had loved Him more than all the rest.

Acting the role of all souls that suffer, because God, Whom they knew and Whom they loved, is in hiding, Mary Magdalen represents also those that suffer, seeking the unknown God and the truth of religion.....

Let them seek! Let them pray! Let them wait! Sooner or later they shall have their angels, their advisers, their decisive events and, finally, their Easter-morning, where God Himself will dry their tears, by showing Himself to them.

"Teacher", Mary Magdalen said. That one word shows her relation to the Saviour, the most beautiful, the most ennobling, the most touching relation, the relation of pupil to teacher, of ward to tutor-a relation of reverence, of loving devotion, and gratitude. Who can describe her happiness? Apparently she can not cease kissing the feet of the Saviour, the more so as she fears to lose Him again. For His appearance was no Hence He said to her: "Do

longer earthly.