“while it was still dark”
“St. Leo the Great says in a beautiful way that Jesus hastened to rise as soon as possible because He was in a hurry to console His Mother and the disciples: He was in the tomb strictly as long as was necessary to comply with the three days that had been foretold. He rose on the third day, as soon as He could, just before sunrise, when everything was still dark, in advance of the dawn with his own light.” [1]
“The Resurrection is the great light for the world: I am the Light, Jesus had said; light for the world, for all ages of history, for every society, for each man.” [2]
During the Easter Vigil, the Church is in complete darkness. This signifies the darkness of the world during the three days of Christ’s death. “Then, in an instant, the celebrant proclaimed the exhilarating, wonderful news: May the light of Christ rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.And from the light of the Easter candle, symbolizing Christ, all the faithful received the light: the darkened church was now illuminated with the light of the Easter candle.” [3]
What are we called to do with Christ’s light? Our task is to take the light of Christ and shine it in our lives at all times and in all places. “Our task as Christians is to proclaim the kingship of Christ, announcing it through what we say and do. Our Lord wants men and women of his own in all walks of life. Some he calls away from society, asking them to give up involvement in the world, so that they remind the rest of us by their example that God exists. To others he entrusts the priestly ministry. But he wants the vast majority to stay right where they are, in all earthly occupations in which they work: the factory, the laboratory, the farm, the trades, the streets of the big cities and the trails of the mountains.” [4]
Let us be brave and courageous like Mary Magdalene, who could not wait to go to the tomb–whose “love and veneration led her to go without delay, to be with our Lord’s Body.” [5]
Why did the angel send the women to get Peter? “Because the disciples were to announce the Resurrection of Christ to the whole world, and they were now much saddened, and disturbed because of His death. Peter was the head of the apostles, and on account of having three times denied our Lord, he was greatly dejected and faint of heart, and was, therefore, above all to be comforted.” [6]
Search: Light of the World
[1] Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 2, 47.2
[2] Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 2, 47.2
[3] Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 2, 47.2
[4] J. Escriva, Christ is passing by, 105
[5] The Navarre Bible, St. John 20:1-2
[6] Fr. Goffine’s, The Church’s Year, pg. 256