Christ is Risen! And our hope is restored.
John’s account of the Gospel tells us that when the other disciple (who was most likely John himself) entered the tomb after Simon Peter “he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” With the Resurrection comes the fullness of understanding, and the veils are lifted.
One of the effects of veiling of the statues and religious images during Passion Tide, is that the fruits of the resurrection are hidden from our sight. We are taken back to the days and generations prior to the birth of Christ when the dead remained dead and the mysteries of heaven remained in a cloud. We were reminded of our lack of understanding and knowledge. But at the death of Christ, we are told that the veil in the Temple was torn in two. No longer is the mystery of the Holy of Holies shrouded and hidden from view; no longer are the gates of Paradise locked and forbidding entry; no longer is communication with God reserved and limited to the high priest.
In the resurrection of Christ we see the fullness of understanding and all of the veils that had been in place since Adam and Eve had been expelled from the Garden are lifted.
We see, first and foremost, the true meaning of eternal life and the resurrection of the body. Christ did not come back as a phantom or non-corporeal spirit, but one who had holes in his hands and in his side. He came eating and drinking and yet, not as one intended for this world.
We see the Father’s love for us. His desire is not merely that we have life rather than death, but that He conquered death for us. His love for us is such that He would rather do the work and everything within His power to give you life, than be a distributor of justice.
We see the path that leads to life and in the lifting of the veils that covered the saints, the Way that will bring us there. It is no longer about following commandments, although those remain in place, but the commandments and the Prophets are there to show us the Way to follow Christ.
We see what it means to Follow Christ. It is not the way of the young rich man, who was obedient and appears to have been confirmed that he would receive eternal life, but remained away from the Kingdom of Heaven and so he was left sad. It’s revealed also in that moment when he spoke and said “Mary.” and immediately she recognized him. It is about the relationship of being mother and brother and sister with the Lord. About being a spouse and bride of the Son of God.
The veils being lifted helps us to see that God called us from Egypt and through the desert to be with Him on the Mountain and pray with Him, just as Jesus went up to the mountain to pray.