In the Spirit of Monday in the Third Week after the Octave of Easter
Feria Secunda infra Hebdomadam III post Octavam Paschæ
“Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them…”
— Wisdom 5:1
“The man believed the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way.”
— John 4:50
The Monday following the Third Sunday after the Octave of Easter calls us deeper into the Paschal mystery, as the Church leads us through a profound meditation on both justice and faith. In the luminous season of Christ’s Resurrection, the readings from Wisdom and John’s Gospel are not mere texts but living streams of consolation and admonition.
The Triumph of the Righteous — Wisdom 5:1–5
The reading from the Book of Wisdom gives us a powerful vision of eschatological justice. It is a passage steeped in vindication and glory: “Then shall the just stand with great constancy.” The just — scorned and dismissed by the world — will be vindicated before all. Those who mocked them will behold, with horror and amazement, the glory of the righteous whom they once despised. St. Gregory the Great, in his Moralia on Job, teaches that “the present life is the way of merit, the future life is the time of reward.” Here, in Wisdom 5, that reward is revealed with dazzling clarity.
St. Augustine, too, reflecting in City of God, writes of the final judgment wherein “the good shall be raised unto life, and the wicked unto damnation.” In this moment described in Wisdom, we perceive a miniature of that Final Day — the revelation of hidden truths, the triumph of divine justice, and the fall of all illusions that have held sway in worldly judgment.
For the Christian, especially during Paschaltide, this reading reminds us that the Resurrection of Christ is not only a personal triumph, but a cosmic reversal — a pledge that the humble will be exalted, the hidden martyrs glorified, and the suffering Church vindicated.
The Healing of the Nobleman’s Son — John 4:46–53
The Gospel complements this scene of final vindication with a quiet, almost hidden miracle: the healing of the nobleman’s son. At first glance, it seems a simple healing narrative. Yet this moment is rich with layers of meaning, especially in light of the Easter season.
The nobleman, a man of social stature, comes in humility to the Lord. “Come down before my child dies,” he pleads. Our Lord’s reply is a test and a gift: “Go thy way; thy son liveth.” The man believed the word. He did not demand signs or proofs, as the crowds often did — a rebuke the Lord had just delivered: “Unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe.” (Jn 4:48)
His belief marks a true transition — from seeing to trusting, from demanding signs to embracing the Word. St. John Chrysostom comments: “The nobleman did not insist, nor ask for Christ to come with him; he believed the word, and departed.” This is faith purified. And this faith, like that of the just in Wisdom, stands in contrast to the world’s skepticism.
A Paschal Lesson: The Vindication of the Faithful
In both readings, we see the pattern of Paschal life: hidden fidelity, often unnoticed by the world, is ultimately revealed and rewarded by God. The nobleman receives his son restored to life — a foretaste of Resurrection. The just in Wisdom are raised from obscurity to eternal splendor. Both call us to persevere.
As St. Leo the Great reminds us in a Paschal homily, “The Resurrection of the Lord is the foundation of our hope.” In these days following Easter, when the Church in her traditional calendar continues to dwell in the light of the empty tomb, we are invited to walk in quiet trust — as the nobleman walked home, believing without seeing.
Let us not envy the wicked in their seeming prosperity nor fear the scorn of the world. “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come,” writes St. Paul (Rom 8:18), echoing the vision of Wisdom 5. The world mocks the Cross, but the Cross leads to glory. The world scoffs at prayer, but prayer brings life.
May we be numbered among those who, though scorned, stood firm — who, like the nobleman, believed the Word and went on our way. This is the quiet heroism of Eastertide: not grand gestures, but persevering trust in the Risen Lord.
Oremus:
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we, who celebrate the Paschal mystery with due devotion, may by Thy grace be renewed in mind and body unto everlasting glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.