Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries -Part 1

Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries – Part 1

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

I have written reflections and meditations on the Joyful, Luminous, and Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary which included the birth, life, death and burial of Jesus, but, as we all know the story of Jesus and Mary did not end with the burial of Jesus in the tomb. The situation seemed bleak for the apostles that Good Friday afternoon. Their master was crucified, dead, and was buried. They did not understand what was meant by the Master Jesus rising from the dead. They learned the hard way through experience. This brings us to our first Glorious Mystery which is the Resurrection of Jesus. Now the Jewish religious leaders knew about the prophecy of Jesus rising from the dead. They asked Pontious Pilate for roman guards to keep watch over the tomb. The Jewish religious leaders feared that the apostles would arrive at the tomb at night, roll back the stone, steal the body of Jesus, and then claim that Jesus rose from the dead. Meanwhile our disciples were hiding in fear of the Jews and the Romans. Along comes Saturday night after sundown.

In our day of instant video recording, that type of technology would have been welcome and useful from one position. The camera should have been facing the soldiers to catch their reaction of the guard’s faces when Jesus rose from the dead. Can you imagine the look on the guard’s faces when Jesus came forth from the tomb alive and vibrant? Can you imagine their local tavern bill? I think we can safely assume that those guards were not drinking wine at the tavern after the occurrence of the Resurrection. I can be personally understanding of those actions.  In my own young life the triple martini lunch was a normal occurrence when the job created a ton of stress.  After all, they were the first witnesses, but as normal with politics, they were bribed to deny what they saw. Now we do not need a camera on the stone that closed the tomb. We as Catholics believe in the empty tomb. We are the people that Jesus referred to when he said, “Blessed are those people who have not seen (the risen Jesus), and yet believed.” It took the women in Our Lord’s company to be the first believing witnesses of the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene comes to mind. Thinking Jesus was the gardener, she asked him where the body of Jesus was since she did not find him in the tomb. That must have been frustrating to Jesus as Mary did not recognize Him. Patient Jesus revealed Himself to her and told her to spread the good news to the disciples that He had risen.

Now considering Jewish burial customs at that time, Jesus probably went to visit his mother. Although not recorded in the Christian Testament, it would have made good sense to reassure his mother that he was alive, get a change of clothes, and possibly have breakfast with his mother. What a joy for Mary and Jesus at that meeting? Towards the end of the day Jesus left Mary to chorale two of his gloomy disciples on the road to Emmaus. He sent them back to Jerusalem to the eleven in the upper room with the news that the disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. I will continue this narrative in part 2.

Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe. Deo Gratias. Gloria Tibi Domini. Praise be to God. See you in Paradise.