Fifth Article
“He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead.”—Here let us meditate how our blessed Saviour’s soul, when separated from his body, descended into hell, or the dreary prison, where the souls of the holy patriarchs and saints of the Old Testament were detained, until he had paid the price of their redemption, and opened for them the gates of heaven, which had remained shut against mankind from the fall [of] Adam until that time. We may judge how the presence and sight of their so long wished-for Redeemer turned their gloomy prison into a paradise of delights, and occasioned unspeakable joy to the holy souls to whom he came to preach the gospel of redemption, release from their tedious captivity, and carry up with him to heaven at his ascension, as the first fruits of his victorious triumph over sin and death. Having comforted them by these happy tidings, his blessed soul, after remaining part of three days subject to the laws of death, returned from this prison to the sepulchre, and being re-united to his body, he arose early on the morning of the third day from the bowels of the earth, by his own divine power, and was the first who from death rose to a glorious and immortal life. His resurrection is a perfect model for us to copy after. Let us endeavour to imitate it by a spiritual resurrection from the death of sin, to a new life of grace, so as to continue for ever to live with him, and to return no more to the death of mortal sin. For this end, let us implore his divine assistance; saying with devotion, “Our Father,” &c. “Hail Mary,” &c.