Entering the Tomb

' Et introeuntes monumentum, viderunt juvenem sedentem a dextris, coopertum stola candida.' Introierunt sepulcrum, ut consepulatae Christo, Christo consurgerent de sepulcro, et impleretur illud Apostoli: 'Consepulti estis ei in baptismo, in quo et resurrexistis. Vident juvenem, ut discernerent nostrae resurrectionis aetetam; vident juvenem, quia nescit resurrectio senectutem, neque aetates recipit aeterna perfectio. Homo ubi nescit nasci, mori nescit; et ubi nasci morique nescit, ibi aetatum nec admittit detrimentum, nec indiget incrementis. Vident juvenem sedentem a dextris, quia resurrectio recipit nil sinistrum. 'Vias,' inquit  'quae a dextris sunt, novit Dominus. Et 'Tunc statuet justos ad dexteram suam. Orate, fratres, ut et nos moriamur vitiis, sepeliamur temporlibus pompis, ut aeternitati resurgamus in Christo, et a dextris positi mereamur audire: 'Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum quod voibs paratum est ab origine mundi. Stola ista non ex mortali vellere, sed virtute vitali; splendens coelesti lumine, non colore terreno; et clara Creatoris munere, non arte fullonis, dicente Propheta: Amictus lumine sicut vestimentum et de justis: Tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol. Terreni terrenis velati sunt vestimentis; et ideo sicut novitate splendent, ita vetustate sordescunt: coelestes vero amictu coelestis luminis ambiuntur, et a terreno squalore suspensi, nec foedantur vetustate umquam, nec ullis sordibus obscurantur; sed vestes quas semel dederit resurrectio, perpetuo lumine vestiuntur. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo LXXXII

'And entering the tomb they saw the youth sitting to the right, covered in a white robe.' 1 They entered the tomb, that they be buried with Christ, and with Christ they rose from the tomb, and what was spoken by the Apostle was fulfilled, ' You were buried with him in baptism, in which even you have risen. 2 They saw the youth, that they behold the age of our resurrection, they see the youth, because the resurrection does not know old age. nor does eternal perfection admit the ages. A man who does not know birth does not know death and where to be born and die is not known is not permitted the detriment of age, nor does it need growth. They see the youth sitting at the right side, because the resurrection does not receive the left. 'The ways,' he says, 'which are from the right , the Lord knows. 3 And, 'Then stand the righteous at his right.' 4  Pray, brothers, that we also may die to the vices and be buried to temporal vanities, so that we may rise to eternity in Christ, and be found worthy of being placed on his right and hearing: Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. 5 This robe is white not from work of mortal fingers, but from the vitality of virtue, shining with celestial light, not the color of the earth, and bright with the gift of the Creator, not with the art of the fuller, as the Psalmist says, ' Clothed with light like a vestment' 6  and concerning the righteous ' Then the righteous shall shine like the sun. 7 Like the earth are the vestments of the earth, and therefore like new they shine which were of old mired, clothed with the heavenly light they shine in the heavens, taken up from earthly squalor, not soiled with age anymore, not with any dirt obscured, but vested once and for all with what the resurrection gives, they are clothed with perpetual light . Saint Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 153  1 Mk 16.5 2. Col 2. 12 3 Prov . 4. 27 4 Mt 25. 33 5 Mt 25. 34 6 Ps 103.2 7 Mt 13 .43