“Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King.” (from the Easter Proclamation)
Reflections on the readings for Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil (April 16, 2022): GN 1:1--2:2, PS 104:1-2,5-6,10,12,13-14,24,35; GN 22:1-18; PS 16:5,8,9-10,11; EX 14:15–15:1; EX 15:1-2,3-4,5-6,17-18; IS 54:5-14; PS 30:2,4,5-6,11-12,13; IS 55:1-11; IS 12:2-3,4,5-6; BAR 3:9-15,32–4:4; PS 19:8,9,10,11; EZ 36:16-17,18-28; PS 42:3,5; 43:3,4; ROM 6:3-11; PS 118:1-2,1-2,16-17,22-23; LK 24:1-12
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
The evil and grief that came into our world with the sin of Adam and Eve has been overcome by the power of our Savior.
We gather for this Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection, that has been called the Solemnity of Solemnities, in the dark of Holy Saturday night. Our celebration will soon illuminate the church and the lives of all Christians with the splendor of His fulfilled promise. “We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over Him. As to His death, He died to sin once and for all; as to His life, He lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:9-11). Nailed to an ignominious cross, entombed in a stone sepulcher, the Redeemer of the world is dead no more. He lives for all eternity. The Son of God and of Man has saved His people. Death no longer has power over us because He conquered it -- not for Himself, but for our sake, each and every one of us.
After the long days of Lent and the challenging days of Holy Week, we venerate that time almost two thousand years ago when Jesus rose from His tomb. The evil and grief that came into our world with the sin of Adam and Eve has been overcome by the power of our Savior. Each of us has the chance to choose our way forward. For those of us granted the gift of following Christ, we have a special opportunity to share this blessing with others. If we embrace a deep relationship with our Lord, we will grow in love for Him and be able to emulate His love for others -- all others. It is certainly right to focus on Jesus’ love, first and foremost for our Father and then for all people, that allowed Him to suffer and die for us. However, if we cannot understand on this great and glorious day that we are also called to love one another for His sake, we have learned nothing from Him. Only in responding to God’s love with love for Him and for His children, all His children, do we truly celebrate His Resurrection and ours.
