BEYOND THE CROSS
INTRODUCTION
Jesus did not go to sleep from Good Friday until Easter Sunday. He has a mission from the Father to announce his victory over sin and death to those in the abode of the dead, Sheol in Hebrew, Hades in Greek and Hell in English.
Today there is great silence upon the earth, great silence and solitude. Great silence because the King sleeps … God died in the flesh… God, made man, entered into the extreme and absolute solitude of man, where no ray of love enters, where there is total abandonment without any word of comfort: “hell”.
According to Church Tradition, after dying on Good Friday, Jesus descended to the depths of the dead to preach His message to them, liberating all holy men and women held captive in past centuries.
The People in the abode of the dead are deprived of the vision of God. The experiences of those in the abode of the dead are different, some await the bosom of Abraham; some await damnation eternal separation from God. CCC 631-637
THE LORD’S DESCENT INTO HELL
ANCIENT HOMILY FOR HOLY SATURDAY
“What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages.
He wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains…
When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ And Christ in reply says to Adam: And with your spirit.
And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,… I am your God, Come forth, those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.
I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person….
Look at the spittle on my face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on my cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to my own image.
‘See the scourging of my back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. My side healed the pain of your side; my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades…arise, let us go hence.
The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven.
“The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages.”
JESUS WELCOMES HIS BRIDE, THE CHURCH