Paschale Gaudium [pp. 808-813]

PA SCHIALE GA UDIUM.
Object of Bliss, in which we shall see the Trinity in unity and
the unity in Trinity, the unutterable mysteries, and the exhaustless depths of the Godhead, is the Word-the expressed species
or image of the Father, Jesus.
The sun is the gladness of the world as well as its light and
life. Why is the spring.time buoyant, jubilant? Because it
gives promise of the summer. Everything which stands related
to the summer stands thereby ennobled. We would sooner
see the swallow than the bird of paradise, and we prefer the
cuckoo's plaint to the music of the linnet. The summer's sun
touches the earth with its magic wand, and the earth is covered
with golden corn. All nature is out a-holiday, and smiles as
though it would last for ever. But autumn approaches; and
nature grows first serious, then melancholy. The sward forgets
its verdure. The leaves fall from the trees, like tears shed over
departed glories. Nature casts aside her holiday garb, as though
she would say, "What use in these ornaments? This is no
time for rejoicing." Then comes rough, scowling winter, and
with ruthless hands strips the earth of any beauty which may
still linger. Winter is nature dressed in rags; no need to put
scarecrows in the fields then.
Jesus is the gladness and the joy of the world, even to those
who know him not. Slaves emancipated, torture abolished,
prison-life ameliorated, woman dignified and ennobled, Little
Sisters of the Poor, Nursing Sisters; what joy all this brings
to the world! And all this is the work of Jesus. The very
name of Jesus is mirth and joy. No more the "tetragrammneton," the unpronounceable name; but Jesus, Saviour. No more
the Omnipotent speaking in the thunders and lightnings of
Sinai; but the Word made flesh, an infant, as one of us in all
save sin. Jesus is our joy in life, our joy in death, our joy
beyond the grave. In heaven our joy shall be full, and our
joy no man shall take from us; for there the sheep will be
gathered to their Shepherd, and Jesus will be for ever our reward exceeding great.
No wonder, then, that the church sanctions that old pagan
Saxon word Sunday as the sign of the Lord's day.
But the Sun went down. Jesus the light, the life, the joy of
the world died on the cross, crying out, "It is finished." And
there was darkness over the whole earth from the sixth to the
ninth hour. The image, the figure, the symbol was eclipsed
when the reality sank down. The Pharisees, doctors of the law,
princes of the people make merry over this. "Yes," they cry,
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[Mar.,