Stillness of the Earth
Originally published in April 2021.
“This is the night,
when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.”from the Exsultet (Easter Proclamation)
Today the earth stood still. Our Lord’s body is in the tomb. He has gone to the land of the dead. We are told in the Apostle’s Creed that “He descended into Hell.” Have you ever thought about that? It was not enough that Jesus died, He descended into hell to destroy death once and for all. How awesome is that? Jesus loved us so much that dying on the cross was not enough. He loved the people, even those who persecuted Him and who put Him to death, but He also loved those who have gone before Him. We are told that Jesus went to the place of the dead (see picture below), broke open those gates, and brought with Him all the righteous - Abraham, Moses, and all those who have gone before Him, so that they could enjoy their eternal reward. He even brought with Him Adam and Eve. Jesus reversed what Adam did, being obedient to the Father, and not eating of the tree, but dying on it.
Jesus came for all, even those who have died before Him. That is why perhaps St. Paul wrote to the Philippians that “… so that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend, in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!”
Jesus didn’t just die on the cross. He went into Hell to bring with Him the righteous, definitively conquering death. On this day, the earth stood still. But soon, it will rumble because Jesus is making His way back up.
