Tractatus Alter, Pars Prior, Cap. 1. De victoriosissimo triumpho mortis in cruce Domini nostri lesu Christi et de laetissima resurrectione eius de sepulchro.

Tractatus Alter, Pars Prior, Cap. 1. De victoriosissimo triumpho mortis in cruce Domini nostri lesu Christi et de laetissima resurrectione eius de sepulchro.

I bless you and give thanks to you, Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, for your most victorious triumph over death on the cross and for your glorious and joyful resurrection from the tomb, where you lay truly dead for three days and nights for us, hidden from human eyes and sealed with a great stone, so that you could neither be touched nor seen by your friends and disciples. Where you were also guarded by a strong armor from treacherous men, so that you would not rise again from the dead, and their hands could not overpower you, or lest perhaps your disciples might secretly take you away and transfer you somewhere else, and say to the people: 'The Crucified has risen from the dead.' But certainly, wickedness has deceived itself, and all deceit has been brought to nothing, along with all the power of Pilate, all the wickedness of the people, all the malice of the priests, all the cunning of the scribes, and every scheme of the Pharisees and elders, who conspire to erase your holy name from the mouths of men. But truly, there is no plan against the Lord, nor does earthly power prevail against the Most High; neither does human wisdom succeed against God's wisdom, nor can deceitful cunning deceive God, who knows all things. For you who founded the earth upon its stability and set a limit for the sea, creating all things in weight, number, and measure, you also knew the time and hour for rising again, just as you knew the time for being born and the hour for dying. So, in the middle of the night as dawn approached, O most merciful Jesus, you rose alive and joyful from the closed tomb with your glorious body, in the greatest joy and radiant brightness, just as you came forth from the womb of your most holy virgin mother Mary, always preserving her perpetual virginity, through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, in this most high divine mystery and astonishing miracle, unheard of since the ages. You established this most sacred celebration of your resurrection as brighter than the sun and more worthy than any other feast of the year, to be perpetually honored by all your faithful through joyful hearts and united voices in hymns and psalms, with frequent alleluias, solemnly to be celebrated and most fittingly remembered with thanksgiving. In this night, the angels rejoice and celebrate your triumph over death and the devastation of hell, mercifully opening the way to eternal life, O Christ the King, as you have previously foretold to your disciples, and you have clothed them with the glorious robe of your body. Then all the rulers of darkness mourned and groaned because of the brightness of your face in human nature. And there was a great earthquake, and a fear struck those guarding the tomb with the power of arms, who immediately became like dead men from the shaking of the earth and the unusual sight of the angels. For an angel of the Lord, shining with a bright whiteness, came down from heaven and rolled away the large stone from the tomb, preparing a straight and safe path for the holy women coming with precious aromatic oils to anoint Jesus again in the tomb, so that they could securely approach and see that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was not there, but had risen. I praise and glorify you, most powerful King of kings, Lord Jesus Christ, ruler of heaven and earth, and loving creator of all things, for the fierce defeat of hell and the strong binding of the proud Lucifer, cast into the lake of burning fire and foul sulfur and pitch. I praise and glorify you for the great subjugation of demonic wickedness and power against the human race, so that demons may not be able to harm as much now as they desire, just as they used to before your incarnation and passion. By a just judgment, all the scandal and counsel of the Jews was laid upon you, which was prepared for you through the punishment of the cross in the midst of two criminals. And behold, you have risen and conquered the kingdom of the underworld, and you have cast out every demonic power by the sign of the holy cross, and you have trampled their pride under the feet of your humble servants, whom you have chosen from the world. Now, indeed, all Christians, both noble and common, rejoice to be marked with the sign of the holy cross and carry it confidently on their foreheads in honor of your name, against the terror of the ancient serpent and against the insults of all the unfaithful Jews and pagans who still hate the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for the salvation of the world crucified. I praise and honor you, most gracious Jesus, for your kind visitation of the saints of the Old Testament in the limbo of hell and for the liberation of all the faithful souls resting in the bosom of Abraham. For a long time, they awaited your coming to the underworld with great desire and with a weeping voice, as is sung today in the procession; they cried out to you devotedly: "You have come, O Desired One, whom we awaited in the darkness, to lead the captives out of their prison this night." Rejoice now, especially you, our primordial father Adam, natural origin of the human race, with your noble wife Eve formed from your side in paradise, because Christ has come from your lineage, born of a virgin, and sacrificed on the cross to free you and all your captive children in faith from the grasp of hell, from the house of prison, from the shadow of death, from the pit of lions and the terror of the worst demons, to restore you with all your holy and beloved progeny in the company of angels and with the sweetest jubilation of songs into the paradise of delight and eternal happiness. Rejoice, you holy patriarch Abraham, father of many nations, along with Sara, your faithful wife, for the incarnation of Christ has been promised to you and is now fulfilled in this celebration; you have long awaited and desired to see this day. Because just as you firmly believed, so now you have truly earned to see Christ, the giver of the heavenly kingdom, born of your seed, with a joyful face. Congratulations to you too, most venerable father Isaac, for the clear vision of Christ and His descent into hell, of which you prophesied before your death, and in blessing your son Jacob, you beautifully prefigured and commended Christ above all the blessed saints, saying: "Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a full field, which the Lord has blessed." Whoever curses you, let him be cursed; and whoever blesses you, let him be filled with blessings. Therefore, hearing and reading these things, I give thanks to you, my God, and I bless your sweet name above all the names of the saints, sweetest Jesus Christ, so that here and forever I may be worthy to be blessed by you among the elect and to be filled with heavenly goods and to be beatified with the holy angels. Rejoice, too, Jacob, strongest wrestler, on this day, especially in the heavenly and joyful sight of Jesus Christ, about whom you once confidently prayed among the blessings of your children: I will wait for your salvation, Lord. O truly sweet word to hear for the pious joy of the soul. O saving word, in which the name of Jesus is secretly signified, long desired by the patriarchs and prophets, patiently awaited, and finally presented to our eyes. For there is no other name under heaven given to humanity by which we must be saved, except this sweetest name of Jesus, blessed from eternity and forever above all things. Indeed, Jesus himself, the Savior promised by God in the law, born of a virgin, suffered on the cross, and rose on the third day, fulfilling all that the holy patriarchs and all the prophets spoke about him. So now, speak openly, holy Jacob, in the joy of your heart, about Christ appearing in the glory of his Father before the angels of God. Now I see my Lord face to face, and my soul is saved. What more do you desire, and what could be happier to possess? If you had such great joy when you saw the angel of God, how much more should you rejoice now, because you have been deemed worthy to see the Lord of angels. If your spirit has come back to life, when you heard: 'Joseph, your son, lives,' and he himself is here. Does he not reign over all the land of Egypt, how much more will you rejoice in Christ rising from the tomb, never again to die, but above all in heaven and on earth, reigning without end? O all you holy patriarchs and prophets, O kings and leaders of the people, O elders and young men, virgins and faithful widows, O priests and Levites, teachers and scribes, O spirits and souls of the just, holy and humble of heart, rejoice and exult today in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. Praise and exalt Him forever, for He has come to visit you and bring joy to all who were waiting for the redemption of His people Israel. I beg you now, most merciful Lord Jesus Christ, true salvation of my soul and my entire trust, in this fragile life from my youth and all the way to old age, and to this present day and hour, do not abandon me, poor and weak, amid tribulations and temptations that attack me in various ways. Comfort me, my God, in all the pressure of my heart because of the merit of your most sacred passion and the intense pains and abundant tears of your most blessed mother Mary, which she poured out standing by the cross and weeping bitterly out of compassion and from the sight of your wounds. Are you joyful too? For you are the reward of all your beloved saints, the patriarchs. The prophets, the apostles, and all the saints who rejoice will be with you in the kingdom of heaven. Remember, Lord, your holy word, which you said, that many will come from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. So, Lord, I ask you to make me a participant in this holy fellowship and in the heavenly banquet, in the kingdom of heaven, you who today rose in glorious body from the tomb and promised eternal life and joy to all who love you with pure hearts in heaven. You who live, etc.