Easter Sunday
The Resurrection of the Lord

At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

Reading 1
Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss,
while a mighty wind swept over the waters.

Then God said,
“Let there be light,” and there was light.
God saw how good the light was.
God then separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”
Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day.

Then God said,
“Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters,
to separate one body of water from the other.”
And so it happened:
God made the dome,
and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
God called the dome “the sky.”
Evening came, and morning followed—the second day.

Then God said,
“Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin,
so that the dry land may appear.”
And so it happened:
the water under the sky was gathered into its basin,
and the dry land appeared.
God called the dry land “the earth,”
and the basin of the water he called “the sea.”
God saw how good it was.
Then God said,

“Let the earth bring forth vegetation:
every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it.”
And so it happened:
the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed—the third day.

Then God said:
“Let there be lights in the dome of the sky,
to separate day from night.
Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,
and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth.”
And so it happened:
God made the two great lights,
the greater one to govern the day,
and the lesser one to govern the night;
and he made the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth,
to govern the day and the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed—the fourth day.

Then God said,
“Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.”
And so it happened:
God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems,
and all kinds of winged birds.
God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,
“Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
Evening came, and morning followed—the fifth day.

Then God said,
“Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.”
And so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
“Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God also said:
“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food.”
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed—the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished
with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.

or

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
“Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,

and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God also said:
“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food.”
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35

R. (30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
with the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You water the mountains from your palace;
the earth is replete with the fruit of your works.
You raise grass for the cattle,
and vegetation for man(s use,
Producing bread from the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all (

the earth is full of your creatures.
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

or

Ps 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20-22

R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask;
in cellars he confines the deep.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Reading II
Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said:
“Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you.”
Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,
took with him his son Isaac and two of his servants as well,
and with the wood that he had cut for the holocaust,
set out for the place of which God had told him.

On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
Then he said to his servants:
“Both of you stay here with the donkey,
while the boy and I go on over yonder.
We will worship and then come back to you.”
Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust
and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders,
while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham:
“Father!” Isaac said.
“Yes, son,” he replied.
Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the sheep for the holocaust?”
“Son,” Abraham answered,
“God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust.”
Then the two continued going forward.

When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Next he tied up his son Isaac,
and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
“Abraham, Abraham!”
“Here I am!” he answered.
“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.
“Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.
Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh;
hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.”

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—
all this because you obeyed my command.”

or

God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said:
“Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you.”

When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
“Abraham, Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.
“Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,

that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—
all this because you obeyed my command.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11

R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Reading II
Ex 14:15—15:1

The LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the Israelites to go forward.
And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,
split the sea in two,

that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers.”

The angel of God, who had been leading Israel’s camp,
now moved and went around behind them.
The column of cloud also, leaving the front,
took up its place behind them,
so that it came between the camp of the Egyptians
and that of Israel.
But the cloud now became dark, and thus the night passed
without the rival camps coming any closer together
all night long.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.

The Egyptians followed in pursuit;
all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.

Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers.”
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water flowed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army
which had followed the Israelites into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the Israelites had marched on dry land

through the midst of the sea,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

Responsorial Psalm
Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18

R. (1b) Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
You brought in the people you redeemed
and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance(
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, LORD, which your hands established.
The LORD shall reign forever and ever.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

Reading IV
Is 54:5-14

The One who has become your husband is your Maker;
his name is the LORD of hosts;
your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
called God of all the earth.
The LORD calls you back,
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
a wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
but with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the LORD, your redeemer.
This is for me like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
should never again deluge the earth;
so I have sworn not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.
Though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be shaken,
my love shall never leave you
nor my covenant of peace be shaken,
says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
O afflicted one, storm-battered and unconsoled,
I lay your pavements in carnelians,
and your foundations in sapphires;
I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of carbuncles,
and all your walls of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
In justice shall you be established,
far from the fear of oppression,
where destruction cannot come near you.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading V
Is 55:1-11

Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread,
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.
As I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander of nations,
so shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and nations that knew you not shall run to you,
because of the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked man his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

For just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm
Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,

proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Reading VI
Bar 3:9-15, 32(4:4

Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life:
listen, and know prudence!
How is it, Israel,
that you are in the land of your foes,
grown old in a foreign land,
defiled with the dead,
accounted with those destined for the netherworld?
You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom!
Had you walked in the way of God,
you would have dwelt in enduring peace.
Learn where prudence is,
where strength, where understanding;
that you may know also
where are length of days, and life,
where light of the eyes, and peace.
Who has found the place of wisdom,
who has entered into her treasuries?

The One who knows all things knows her;
he has probed her by his knowledge(
The One who established the earth for all time,
and filled it with four-footed beasts;
he who dismisses the light, and it departs,
calls it, and it obeys him trembling;
before whom the stars at their posts
shine and rejoice;
when he calls them, they answer, “Here we are!”
shining with joy for their Maker.
Such is our God;
no other is to be compared to him:

He has traced out the whole way of understanding,
and has given her to Jacob, his servant,
to Israel, his beloved son.

Since then she has appeared on earth,
and moved among people.
She is the book of the precepts of God,
the law that endures forever;
all who cling to her will live,
but those will die who forsake her.
Turn, O Jacob, and receive her:
walk by her light toward splendor.
Give not your glory to another,
your privileges to an alien race.
Blessed are we, O Israel;
for what pleases God is known to us!

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

Reading VII
Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28

The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land,
they defiled it by their conduct and deeds.
Therefore I poured out my fury upon them
because of the blood that they poured out on the ground,
and because they defiled it with idols.
I scattered them among the nations,
dispersing them over foreign lands;
according to their conduct and deeds I judged them.
But when they came among the nations wherever they came,
they served to profane my holy name,
because it was said of them: “These are the people of the LORD,
yet they had to leave their land.”
So I have relented because of my holy name
which the house of Israel profaned
among the nations where they came.
Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD:
Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel,
but for the sake of my holy name,
which you profaned among the nations to which you came.
I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations,
in whose midst you have profaned it.
Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD,
when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.
For I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your fathers;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4

R. (42:2) Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.

or

Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

or

Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a holocaust, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Epistle
Rom 6:3-11

Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
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.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mk 16:1-7

When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
“Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?”
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, “Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
‘He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.’”

Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

From: Genesis 1:1-2:2

The Creation Account

[1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] The earth
was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and
the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.

[3] And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. [4] And God saw
that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. [5]
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was
evening and there was morning, one day.

[6] And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and
let it separate the waters from the waters." [7] And God made the firmament
and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters
which were above the firmament. And it was so. [8] And God called the
firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

[9] And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together
into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. [10] God called
the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called
Seas. And God saw that it was good. [11] And God said, "Let the earth put
forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in
which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth." And it was
so. [12] The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according
to their own kinds, and trees hearing fruit in which is their seed, each
according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. [13] And there was
evening and there was morning, a third day.

[14] And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to
separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons
and for days and years, [15] and let them be lights in the firmament of the
heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. [16] And God made the
two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to
rule the night; he made the stars also. [17] And God set them in the
firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth, [18] to rule over the
day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God
saw that it was good. [19] And there was evening and there was morning, a
fourth day.

[20] And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures,
and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens." [21]
So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves,
with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird
according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. [22] And God blessed
them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let
birds multiply on the earth." [23] And there was evening and there was
morning, a fifth day.

[24] And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to
their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to
their kinds." And it was so. [25] And God made the beasts of the earth
according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and
everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw
that it was good.

[26] Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creeps upon the earth." [27] So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. [28]
And God blessed them, and God said to them.,"Be fruitful and multiply, and
fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the
earth." [29] And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding
seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in
its fruit; you shall have them for food. [30] And to every beast of the
earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the
earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green
plant for food." And it was so. [31] And God saw everything that he had
made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was
morning, a sixth day.

[1] Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
[2] And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. [3] So God
blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all
his work which he had done in creation.

Commentary:

1:1-2:4a. Creatlon is the beginnrng of salvation history and the foundation
on which are built God's salvific plans, which reach their climax in Jesus
Christ. The biblical accounts of creation focus on the action of God; it is
he who sets the scene and he is the creator, too, of those who will act out
the drama and with whom he will enter into dialogue.

The sacred text incorporates ancient traditions about the origin of the
world; scholars identify two separate accounts in the early chapters of
Genesis. The first of these emphasizes God's transcendence over all created
things, and is written in a very schematic style; this account (1:1-2:4a) is
attributed to the "Priestly" tradition. The second, which also covers the
fall and the expulsion from paradise, speaks of God in an anthropomorphic
way; this more vivid, more popular account (2:4b-4:26) is considered to
belong to the "Yahwistic" tradition. Here we have two different ways in
which the Word of God (not intending to provide a scientific explanation of
the origin of the world and of man) expounds the basic facts and truths on
the subject in a way people can readily understand, inviting us to see me
greatness and love of God manifested first in creation and then in the
history of mankind. "Our faith teaches us," St. Josemaria Escriva writes,
"that all creation, the movement of the earth and the other heavenly bodies,
the good actions of creatures and all the good that has been achieved in
history, in short everything, comes from God and directed toward him"
("Christ Is Passing By", 130).

In the first account the Bible offers profound teaching about God, about man
and about the world. About God, who is the only God, creator of all things
and man in particular; he transcends the created world and is its supreme
master. About man, who is the image and likeness of God, above all other
created beings and placed in the world to rule all creation. About the
world, which is something good and is at the service of man.

1.1. "Three things are affirmed in these first words of Scripture: the
eternal God gave a beginning to all that exists outside of himself; he alone
is Creator (the verb 'create'--Hebrew "bara"--always has God for its
subject). The totality of what exists (expressed by the formula 'the heavens
and the earth') depends on the One who gives it being" ("Catechism of the
Catholic Church", 290).

"In the beginning" means that creation marks the start of time and the
course of history. Time and history have a beginning and they are headed
towards a final goal, which the Bible will tell us more about, especially in
its last book, Revelation. At the end, we are told: 'Then I saw a new heaven
and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more" (Rev 21:1).

God the Creator is the same God as will manifest himself to the patriarchs,
to Moses and to the prophets and make himself known to as through Jesus
Christ. In the light of the New Testament we know that God created all
things through his eternal Word, his beloved Son (cf. Jn 1:1; Col 1:16-17).
God the Creator is Father and Son and (the relationship of love between
them) the Holy Spirit. Creation is the work of the Blessed Trinity, and all
of creation (particularly man, created in the image and likeness of God) in
some way bears their seal. Some Fathers of the Church (Augustine, Ambrose
and Basil, for example), in the light of the New Testament, saw the words
"in the beginning" as having a deeper meaning--namely, "in the Son".

The "action of creating" belongs exclusively to God; man cannot create; he
can only "change" or "develop" something that already exists. In the
creation accounts of other Near East religions the world and gods developed
out of preexistent matter. The Bible, however, records gradual revelation of
the mystery of creation interpreted in the light of God's choice of Israel
and his covenant with mankind; it roundly asserts that everything was made
by God. Later on it will draw the conclusion that everything was created out
of' nothing: "I beseech you, my child, to look at the heavens and the earth
and see everything that is in them, and to recognize that God did not make
them out of things that existed" (2 Mac 7:28). This creative power of God is
also able to give sinful man a pure heart (cf. Ps 51:12), to restore the
dead to life and to give the light of faith to those who do not know him
(cf. 2 Cor 4:6).

It was God's love and wisdom that moved him to create the world, thereby
communicating his goodness and making his glory manifest. The world,
therefore, "is not the product of any necessity whatever, nor of blind, fate
or chance. We believe that it proceeds from God's free will; he wanted to
make his creatures share in his being, wisdom and goodness" ("Catechism of
the Catholic Church", 295).

The expression "the heavens and the earth" means everything that exists. The
earth is the world of men; the sky (or the heavens) can mean the firmament
or the divine world, God's own "place", his glory and all spiritual
(non-material) creatures--the angels.

1:2. The Bible teaches not just that God created all things, but also that
the separation and ordering of the elements of nature is something
established by God once and for all. The presence of the loving power of
God, symbolized by a gentle breeze or a breath (the text refers to it as a
spirit; "ruah" in Hebrew) which hovers and keeps watch over the world when
it is still in chaos, shows that, as the text will go on to say, the Word of
God and his Breath are present in the origin of being and in the origin of
every creature's life. That is why many Fathers of the Church (Jerome and
Athanasaus, for example) saw this passage as reflecting the presence of the
Holy Spirit as a divine Person who, along with the Father and the Son, is at
work in the creation of the world, "This biblical concept of creation", John
Paul II explains, "includes not only the call to existence of the very being
of the cosmos, that is to say, "the giving of existence", but also the
presence of the Spirit of God in creation, that is to say, the beginning of
God's salvific self-communication to thq things he creates. This is true
"first of all concerning man", who has been created in the image and
likeness of God" ("Dominum Et Vivificantem", 12).

1:3-5. At this point strictly speaking begins the description of the
creation, which, according to the literary plan of this account, is going to
take place over six days. These six days are meant to indicate the
orderliness with which God went about his work, and to show a rhythm of work
and rest: the Jewish Law laid down Saturday, the sabbath, as a day of rest
and a day dedicatcd to the Lord. In the Christian Church this day was
shifted to Sunday, because Sunday was the day on which our Lord rose from
the dead, thereby inaugurating the new Creation: Sunday, the "dies dominica"
(Latin), the Lord's day.

On the first day God creates light and separates light from darkness (the
latter, being something negative--the absence of light--cannot be created).
Light is seen here as being a thing in its own right (without reference to
the fact that daylight comes from the sun, which will not be created until
the fourth day). The fact that God puts names on things (or in this case on
situations caused by some elements being separated from others) indicates
that he wields absolute power over them. God is in authority, whether it be
day or night.

Here we meet for the first time a phrase which is going to be used seven
times over the course of the narrative: "And God saw that it was good." This
means that everything that God creates is good because in some way it bears
his seal and shares in his own goodness, for it has come from divine
goodness. The goodness of the world proclaimed here by Holy Scripture has
important consequences for the Christian: "We must love the world and work
and all human things. For the world is good. Adam's sin destroyed the divine
balance of creation; but God the Father sent his only Son to re-establish
peace, so that we, his children by adoption, might free creation from
disorder and reconcile all things to God" ([St] Escriva, "Christ Is Passing
By", 112).

1:6-8. In line with the culture of their time, the early Hebrews thought
that rain came from huge containers of water in the vault of heaven; when
trapdoors were opened, the rain poured down. When it says here that God
separated the water which were above the firmament from those below, what is
really being taugt is that God imposed order on the natural world and is
responsible for the phenomenon of rain. It is also making it clear from the
outset that the firmament must not be thought to involve any divinity (as
was believed in the nations roundabout Israel); the firmament is part of the
created world.

1:11. As the inspired author depicts here, a distinction is made between
God's action in separating and ordering the elements (creating the vast
spaces of sky, sea and land) and his action of filling or adorning these
spaces with different kinds of creatures. These creatures introduced in an
increasing order of dignity (in line with the thinking of the time)--first
the vegetable kingdom, then the stellar kingdom, and, lastly, the animal
kingdom. Everything is perfectly arranged; the world of Creation invites to
contemplate the Creator.

1:14-17. Against the neighboring religions, which regarded the heavenly
bodies as divinities exerting influence over human life, the biblical
author, enlightened by inspiration, teaches that the sun, moon and stars are
simply created things; their purpose is to serve man by giving him light by
day and night, and to be a way of measuring time. Put in their proper,
natural place heavenly bodies (like all the rest of creation) lead man to
appreciate the greatness of God, and to praise him for his awesome works:
"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his
handiwork..." (Ps 19:1; cf. Ps 104). It follows that all forms of divination
are to be rejected--consulting horoscopes, astrology, clairvoyance etc. (cf.
"Catechism of the Catholic Church", 2116).

1:26. The sacred text emphasizes the special significance of this moment:
God seems to stop to reflect and plan every detail of his next
creation--man. Ancient Jewish interpretation (followed also by some
Christian writers) saw the use of the plural "Let us make..." as meaning
that God deliberated with his heavenly court, that is, with the angels
(implying that God had created them at the very start, when he "created the
heavens and the earth"). But the use of the plural should rather be taken as
reflecting the greatness and power of God. A considerable part of Christian
tradition has seen the "Let us make" as reflecting the Holy Trinity, for New
Testament revelation has made the Christian reader more aware of the
unfathomable greatness of the divine mystery.

"Man" here has a collective meaning: every human being, by his or her very
nature, is in the image and likeness of God. The human being is intelligible
not by reference to other created beings in the universe but by reference to
God. The likeness between God and man is not a physical one, for God has no
body; it is a spiritual likeness, lying in the human being's capacity for
interiority. The Second Vatican Council teaches that man is not deceived
when he regards himself as superior to bodily things and as more than just a
speck of nature or a nameless unit in the city of man. For by his power to
know himself in the depths of his being he rises above the whole universe of
mere objects. When he is drawn to think about his real self, he turns to
those deep recesses of his being where God who probes the heart (1 Kings
1.6:7; Jer 17:10) awaits him, and where he himself decides his own destiny
in the sight of God. So when he recognizes in himself a spiritual and
immortal soul, he is not being led astray by false imaginings that are due
to merely physical or social causes. On the contrary, he grasps what is
profoundly true in this matter" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 14).

The fact that God creates man in own image and likeness "means not only
rationality and freedom as constitutive properties of human nature, but also
from the very beginning, the capacity of having a "personal relationship"
with God as 'I' and 'you' and therefore the capacity "of having a covenant",
which will take place in God's salvific communication with man" (John Paul
11, "Dominun Et Vivificantem", 34). In the light of this communication,
brought about in all its fullness by Jesus Christ, the Fathers the Church
read the words "image and likeness" as meaning, on the one hand man's
spiritual condition, and, on the other, his sharing in the divine nature
through sanctifying grace. Even after the fall, man is still in the "image"
of God; through sin, however, he lost his "likeness" but this was restored
through Christ's redemption.

It is part of God's design that human beings should have dominion over other
created things (represented here by the animals). This dominion makes man
God's representative (everything really belongs to God) in the created
world. Therefore, although man is going to be the lord of creation, he needs
to recognize that God alone is the Creator; man has to respect and look
after creation; he is responsible for it.

These words of Scripture show that "man is the only creature that God has
loved for itself alone, because all others were created to be at the service
of man. Here we can see, too, the basic equality of all human beings. For
the Church, this equality, which has its roots in man's very being, takes on
the very special dimension of brotherhood through the Incarnation of the Son
of God. [...] Therefore, discrimination of any type [...] is absolutely
unacceptable" (John Paul II, Address, 7 July 1984).

1:27. The creation of man marks the completion of God's plan, In presenting
this final act of creation, the sacred writer offers us a summary of the
things that go to make up the human being. As, well as repeating that God
created man in his image and likeness, he tells us that God created them man
and woman, that is to say, corporeal beings, endowed with sexuality, and
designed to live in society. "Being in the image of God, the human
individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but
someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely
giving himself and entering into communion with other persons. And he is
called by grace to a covenant with his Creator to offer him a response of
faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead" ("Catechism of
the Catholic Church", 357).

"The fact that man 'created as man and woman' is the image of God means not
only that each of them individually is like God, as a rational and free
being. It also means that man and woman, created as a 'unity of the two' in
their common humanity, are called to live in a communion of love, and in
this way to mirror in the world the communion of love that is in God,
through which the Three Persons love each other in the intimate mystery of
the one divine life. This 'unity of the two', which is a sign of
interpersonal communion, "shows that the creation of man" is also marked by
a certain likeness to the divine communion ("communio") This likeness is a
quality of the personal being of both man and woman, and is also a call and
a task" (John Paul II, "Mulieris Dignitatem", 7).

The fact that the Bible and everyday language speak of God as masculine is a
result of cultural influences and the great care taken in the Bible to avoid
any hint of polytheism (which could arise if the godhead were described as
feminine, opening the way to generations of gods, as in other religions).
God transcends the body and sexuality; therefore, both man (masc.) and woman
(fem.) equally reflect his image and likeness. In these words of Genesis,
for the very first time in history, the fundamental equality in dignity of
man and woman is proclaimed--in marked contrast with the low esteem in which
women were held in the ancient world.

According to the traditional Jewish and Christian interpretation, this verse
is alluding to marriage, as if God had already created the first man and the
first woman as a married couple--forming that human community which is the
basis of every society. In the second Genesis account of the creation of man
and woman (cf. 2:18-24), this will emerge even more clearly.

1:28. God has already created animals, endowing them with fruitfulness (v.
22). He now addresses these two human beings personally: "he said to
them..."; this indicates that the reproductive power of human beings (and
therefore their sexuality) are values for which they must assume
responsibility before God, as a way of co-operating in God's plans. Thus,
God, "wishing to associate them in a special way with his own creative work,
blessed man and woman with the words: 'Be fruitful and multiply' (Gen 1:28).
Without intending to underestimate the other ends of marriage, it must be
said that true married love and the whole structure of family life which
results from it is directed to disposing the spouses to cooperate valiantly
with the love of the Creator and Savior, who through them will increase and
enrich his family from day to day" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 50).

God also commands man to make the earth serve him. Here divine Revelation is
teaching us that human work is regarded as a way by which main operates in
the plan God had when he created the world: "By the work of his hands and
with the aid of technical means man tills the earth to bring fruit and to
make it a dwelling place for all mankind; he, also consciously plays his
part in the life of social groups; in so doing he is realizing the design,
which God revealed at the beginning of time, to subdue the earth and perfect
the work of creation, and at the same time he is improving his own person"
(Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 57).

From this divine disposition we see the importance a person's work has in
his or her personal life: "Your human vocation is a part--and an important
part--of your divine vocation. That reason why you must strive for holiness,
giving a particular character to your human personality, a style to your
life; contributing at the same time to the sanctification of others, your
fellow men; sanctifying your work and your environment: the profession or
job that fills day, your home and family and the country where you were born
and which you love [...]. Work, all work, bears witness to the dignity of
man, to his dominion over creation. It is an opportunity to develop one's
personality. It is a bond of union with others, the way to support one's
family, a means of aiding the improvement of the society in which we live
and in the progress of all mankind" ("Christ Is Passing By", 46-47).

Man is charged by God with mastery over the earth; but he may not do
whatever he likes with it or act despotically: he should respect the
universe as being the work of the Creator. In this regard, Wisdom 9:3 says:
"0 God, [...] who hast formed man, to have dominion over the creatures thou
hast made, and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and pronounce
judgment in uprightness of soul." "This holds good also for out daily work.
When men and women provide for themselves and their families in such a way
as to be of service to the community as well, they can rightly look upon
their work as a prolongation of the work of the creator, a service to their
fellow men, and their personal contribution to the fulfillment in history of
the divine plan" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 34).

1:31. These words bring to an end this first description of the work of
Creation. It is as if God, after making man, stood back to see what he had
done and was very pleased with the result. Whereas the wording previously
used was "And God saw that it was good," now we are told that it was "very
good". In this way, the goodness of the created world is being stressed,
indicating that "this natural goodness of theirs receives an added dignity
from their relation with the human person, for whose use they have been
created" (Vatican II, "Apostolicam Actuositatem", 7). From this it follows
that the human person and his/her dignity must be valued above all other
created things, and all human endeavor should be geared to foster and defend
these values.

2:1-3. From this point onwards, God will almost never intervene in creation
directly. Now it is up to man to act in the created world through the work
he does.

God's "resting" sets an example for man. By resting, we are acknowledging
that creation in the last analysis depends on and belongs to God, and that
God is watching over it. Here rest is an example set by the Creator; we
shall later find it as one of the Ten Commandments (cf. Ex 20:8-18; Deut
5:42-14). "The institution of the Lord's Day helps everyone enjoy adequate
rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social and religious
lives" ("Catechism of the Catholic Church", 2184; cf. also John Paul II,
Apostolic Letter, "Dies Domini", 31 May 1998).

Apropos of the sabbath, unlike the other days there is no mention of there
being evening and morning. It is as if that rhythm of time were being broken
by the sabbath--prefiguring the situation in which man, once he has
accomplished his mission of mastering the earth, will enjoy an unending
rest, at an eternal feast in God's presence (cf. Heb 4:1-10). In the
language of the Bible "feast" or "festival" means three things--a)
obligatory rest from everyday work; b) recognition of God as Lord of
creation, and joyful contemplation of the created world; c) a foretaste of
the enduring rest and joy that will be man's after he leaves this world.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

From: Romans 6:3-11

Baptism (Continuation)

[3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into His death? [4] We were buried therefore with
Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

[5] For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall
certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. [6] We know
that our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might
be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. [7] For He
who has died is freed from sin. [8] But if we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with Him. [9] For we know that
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer
has dominion over him. [10] The death He died He died to sin once for
all, but the life He lives He lives to God. [11] So you also must
consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Commentary:

1-11. The universal dominion of sin, which began with the sin of Adam,
is not the only event to be reckoned with. When sin reached its full
extent, the grace brought by Jesus Christ came in superabundance.
Through Baptism this grace reaches each of us and frees us from the
control of sin. When we receive this Sacrament we die: that is to say,
our blameworthiness is destroyed, we renounce sin once and for all, and
are born again into a new life.

"The Lord", St. Ambrose tells the newly baptized, "who wanted His
benefactions to endure, the serpent's plans to be turned to naught, and
the harm done to be put right, delivered a sentence to mankind: 'You
are dust, and to dust you shall return' (Genesis 3:19), and made man
subject to death [...]. The remedy was given him: man would die and
rise again [...]. You ask me how? [...] Pay attention. So that in
this world too the devil's snare would be broken, a rite was instituted
whereby man would die, being alive, and rise again, being alive [...].
Through immersion in water the sentence is blotted out: 'You are dust,
and to dust you shall return'" ("De Sacramentis", II, 6).

This passage of the epistle, which reveals the key truths concerning
Baptism, also reminds us of the profound meaning of this rite which
Christ established, its spiritual effects in Christians and its
far-reaching effects with respect to the Christian life. Thus, we can
apply to Baptism what St. Thomas Aquinas says about all the sacraments:
"Three aspects of sanctification may be considered--its very cause,
which is Christ's Passion; its form, which is grace and the virtues;
and its ultimate end, which is eternal life. And all these are
signified by the sacraments. Consequently, a sacrament is a sign which
is both a reminder of the past, that is, of the Passion of Christ, and
an indication of what is effected in us by Christ's Passion, and a
foretelling and pledge of future glory" ("Summa Theologiae", III, q.
60, a. 3).

In the specific case of Baptism, the various things which the Sacrament
implies carry a special nuance--a new birth which presupposes a
symbolic death. It reproduces in us not only the Passion, Death and
burial of Christ, symbolized by immersion in water (verses 3-4, 6), but
also new life, the life of grace which pours into the soul, enabling
the person to share in the Resurrection of Christ (verses 4-5). This
sharing in Christ's Resurrection to immortal life is a kind of seed
which will ultimately produce the glorious resurrection of our bodies.

The baptized person is, therefore, someone newly created, someone born
into a new life, someone who has moved out of darkness into light. The
white garment used at Baptism symbolizes innocence and grace; the
burning candle, the light of Christ--two symbols the Church uses in the
baptismal liturgy to signify what is happening.

Thus, in Baptism, God "removes every trace of sin, whether original or
personal" ("The Rite of Baptism", Introduction, 5) and also remits the
penalties that these sins incur. On being baptized in the name of the
Three Divine Persons, the Christian is shown God the Father's love for
him (a love he has not merited), is given a share in the Paschal
Mystery of the Son, and to him is communicated new life in the Spirit
(cf. "Instruction on Infant Baptism", 20 October 1980, 9). Baptism,
which is also described as "the door of the spiritual life", unites a
person to Christ and to the Church by means of grace, which makes us
children of God and heirs to Heaven. Finally, in addition to the
infused virtues and supernatural gifts, the person is given "the graces
necessary to live in a Christian way, and on his soul is impressed the
sacramental character which makes him a Christian for evermore"
("St. Pius X Catechism", 250).

Baptism, which confers a "character", that is, a kind of seal
confirming our Christian calling, gives us a share in Christ's
priesthood and makes us capable of receiving the other sacraments.

4. It is easier to grasp the symbolism of burial and resurrection if
one remembers that in earlier times, and particularly in the apostolic
period, Baptism was usually administered by immersion in water--in some
cases by total immersion, up to three times, with one Person of the
Blessed Trinity being invoked each time. "They asked you, 'Do you
believe in God the Father almighty?' You said, 'I believe', and you
were immersed, that is, you were buried. Again they asked you, 'Do you
believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Cross?' You said,
'I believe', and you were again immersed. This time you have been
buried with Christ, and he who is buried with Christ rises with Christ.
For a third time you were asked, 'Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?'
You said, 'I believe', and for a third time you were immersed, so
that by this three-fold confession you might be loosed of your many
attachments to your past life" (St. Ambrose, "De Sacramentis", II, 7).

Today Baptism is normally administered by pouring water over the head--
a method also used in apostolic times and which gradually came into
general use because it was found more convenient.

5. Just as the ingraft and the plant form a single thing and make a
single principle of life, Christians by being grafted onto or
incorporated into Christ through Baptism form one single thing with Him
and begin to draw on His divine life. We are also "united with Him in
a death like His": Christ suffered physical death; we, in Baptism, die
spiritually to the life of sin. St. John Chrysostom explains this as
follows: "Baptism is for us what the Cross and burial were for Christ;
but with this difference: the Savior died physically, He was physically
buried, whereas we ought to die spiritually. That is why the Apostle
does not say we are 'united with Him with His death', but 'in a death
LIKE HIS'" ("Hom. on Rom.", 10).

9-10. Jesus Christ chose to bear all the consequences of sin, even
though He was sinless. His voluntary death on the Cross and His
glorious Resurrection broke the bonds of death, for Himself and for all
His own. Death no longer shall have dominion: "[Christ died] that
through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is,
the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject
to lifelong bondage" (Hebrews 2:14-15). And as a consequence He won,
for His own human nature and for us, a new life.

In all those who have been baptized these same events in Christ's life
are in some way reproduced. "Our past sins have been wiped out by the
action of grace. Now, so as to stay dead to sin after Baptism,
personal effort is called for, although God's grace continues to be with
us, providing us with great help" (Chrysostom, "Hom. on Rom.", 11).
This personal effort might be encapsulated in a resolution: "May we
never die through sin; may our spiritual resurrection be eternal"
([St] J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", 1st Glorious Mystery).

Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

From: Mark 16:1-7

The Resurrection

[1] And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother
of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint
him. [2] And very early on the first day of the week they went to the
tomb when the sun had risen. [3] And they were saying to one another.
"Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?"
[4] And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was
very large. [5] And entering the tomb, they saw a young man on tile
right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. [6] And he
said to them. "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid
him. [7] But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before
you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you."

Commentary:

1. The sabbath rest was laid down in the Law of Moses as a day when the
Israelites should devote themselves to prayer and the worship of God,
and also as a form of protection for workers. As time went by the
rabbis specified in minuscule detail what could and could not be done
on the sabbath. This was why the holy women were unable to organize
things on the sabbath for anointing the dead body of our Lord, and why
they had to wait until the first day of the week.

From the earliest days of the Church, this first day is called the
"dies Domini", the Lord's Day, because, St Jerome comments, "after the
sorrow of the sabbath, a joyful day breaks out, the day of greatest
joy, lit up by the greatest light of all, for this day saw the triumph
of the risen Christ" ("Comm. in Marcum, in loc."). This is why the
Church has designated Sunday as the day specially consecrated to the
Lord, a day of rest on which we are commanded to attend Holy Mass.

3-4. On the structure of Jewish tombs and the stone covering the
entrance, cf. note on Mt 27:60.

[The note on Mt 27:60 states:

60. It was customary for well-to-do Jews to build tombs for themselves
in their own property. Most of these tombs were excavated out of rock,
in the form of a cavern; they would have had a small hall or vestibule
leading to the tomb proper. At the end of the hall, which would only
have been a few meters long, a very low doorway gave access to the
burial chamber. The first entrance door, which was at ground level,
was closed off by a huge stone, which could be rolled (it was called a
"gobel"), fitted into a groove to make rolling easier.]

5. Like so many other passages of the Gospel this one shows the extreme
sobriety with which the evangelists report historical facts. From the
parallel passage of St Matthew (28:5) we know that this person was an
angel. But both Mark and Luke are content to report what the women say,
without any further interpretation.

6. These women's sensitive love urges them, as soon as the Law permits,
to go to anoint the dead body of Jesus, without giving a thought to the
difficulties involved. Our Lord rewarded them in kind: they were the
first to hear news of his resurrection. The Church has always invoked
the Blessed Virgin "pro devota femineo sexu", to intercede for devout
womanhood. And it is indeed true that in the terrible moments of the
passion and death of Jesus women proved stronger than men: "Woman is
stronger than man, and more faithful, in the hour of suffering: Mary of
Magdala and Mary of Cleophas and Salome!

"With a group of valiant women like these, closely united to our Lady
of Sorrows, what work for souls could be done in the world!" ([St] J.
Escriva, "The Way", 982).

"Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified": the same name as written on the
inscription on the cross is used by the angel to proclaim the glorious
victory of the resurrection. In this way St Mark bears witness
explicitly to the crucified man and the resurrected man being one and
the same. Jesus' body, which was treated so cruelly, now has immortal
life.

"He has risen": the glorious resurrection of Jesus is the central
mystery of our faith. "If Christ has not been raised, then our
preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor 15:14). It is
also the basis of our hope: "if Christ has not been raised, your faith
is futile and you are still in your sins.... If for this life only we
have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1 Cor 15:17
and 19). The Resurrection means that Jesus has overcome death, sin,
pain and the power of the devil.

The Redemption which our Lord carried out through his death and
resurrection is applied to the believer by means of the sacraments,
especially by Baptism and the Eucharist: "We were buried with him by
baptism and death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glory of the Father, we might walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:4). "He
who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will
raise him up at the last day" (Jn 6:54). The resurrection of Christ is
also the rule of our new life: "If you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right
hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things
that are on earth" (Col 3:1-2). Rising with Christ through grace means
that "just as Jesus Christ through his resurrection began a new
immortal and heavenly life, so we must begin a new life according to
the Spirit, once and for all renouncing sin and everything that leads
us to sin, loving only God and everything that leads to God" ("St Pius
X Catechism", 77).

7. The designation of the Apostle Peter by name is a way of focusing
attention on the head of the Apostolic College, just at this time when
the Apostles are so discouraged. It is also a delicate way of
indicating that Peter's denials have been forgiven, and of confirming
his primacy among the Apostles.

Officie of Readings -- Awakening Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 4
Thanksgiving
When I called out, he heard me, the God of my righteousness. When I was in trouble, you gave me freedom: now, take pity on me and listen to my prayer. Sons of men, how long will your hearts be heavy? Why do you seek for vain things? Why do you run after illusions? Know that the Lord has done marvellous things for those he has chosen. When I call upon the Lord, he will hear me. Be vigorous, but do not sin: speak in the silence of your heart, in your bed, be at rest. Offer righteousness as a sacrifice, and put your trust in the Lord. Many are saying, Who will give us good things? Let your face shine on us, Lord, let the light of your face be a sign. You have given me a greater joy than the others receive from abundance of wheat and of wine. In peace shall I sleep, Lord, in peace shall I rest: firm in the hope you have given me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 4

Thanksgiving

When I called out, he heard me, the God of my righteousness.
When I was in trouble, you gave me freedom:
now, take pity on me and listen to my prayer.

Sons of men, how long will your hearts be heavy?
Why do you seek for vain things?
Why do you run after illusions?
Know that the Lord has done marvellous things
for those he has chosen.
When I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

Be vigorous, but do not sin:
speak in the silence of your heart,
in your bed, be at rest.
Offer righteousness as a sacrifice,
and put your trust in the Lord.

Many are saying, Who will give us good things?
Let your face shine on us, Lord,
let the light of your face be a sign.
You have given me a greater joy
than the others receive
from abundance of wheat and of wine.
In peace shall I sleep, Lord, in peace shall I rest:
firm in the hope you have given me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 15 (16)
The Lord, my inheritance
Preserve me, Lord, I put my hope in you. I have said to the Lord “You are my Lord, in you alone is all my good”. As for the holy and noble men of the land, in them is all my delight. But for those who run to alien gods, their sorrows are many. I will not share in their libations of blood. I will not speak their names. You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup. You control my destiny, the lot marked out for me is of the best, my inheritance is all I could ask for. I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding; even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom. I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight: with him at my side I can never be shaken. Thus it is that my heart rejoices, heart and soul together; while my body rests in calm hope. You will not leave my soul in the underworld. You will not let your chosen one see decay. You will show me the paths of life, the fullness of joy before your face, and delights at your right hand until the end of time. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 15 (16)

The Lord, my inheritance

Preserve me, Lord, I put my hope in you.

I have said to the Lord “You are my Lord, in you alone is all my good”.
As for the holy and noble men of the land, in them is all my delight.
But for those who run to alien gods, their sorrows are many.
I will not share in their libations of blood. I will not speak their names.

You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup. You control my destiny,
the lot marked out for me is of the best, my inheritance is all I could ask for.
I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding; even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom.
I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight: with him at my side I can never be shaken.
Thus it is that my heart rejoices, heart and soul together; while my body rests in calm hope.

You will not leave my soul in the underworld. You will not let your chosen one see decay.
You will show me the paths of life, the fullness of joy before your face, and delights at your right hand until the end of time.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 23 (24)
The Lord comes to his temple
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all who live in it. He himself founded it upon the seas and set it firm over the waters. Who will climb the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in his holy place? The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart, who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely. He will receive the blessing of the Lord and be justified by God his saviour. This is the way of those who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob. Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter. Who is the king of glory? The Lord of might and power. The Lord, strong in battle. Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter. Who is the king of glory? The Lord of hosts – he is the king of glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 23 (24)

The Lord comes to his temple

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all who live in it.
He himself founded it upon the seas and set it firm over the waters.

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in his holy place?
The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,
who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.
He will receive the blessing of the Lord and be justified by God his saviour.
This is the way of those who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of might and power. The Lord, strong in battle.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of hosts – he is the king of glory.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	Hebrews 4:1 - 13 ©
Be careful: the promise of reaching the place of rest he had for them still holds good, and none of you must think that he has come too late for it. We received the Good News exactly as they did; but hearing the message did them no good because they did not share the faith of those who listened. We, however, who have faith, shall reach a place of rest, as in the text: And so, in anger, I swore that not one would reach the place of rest I had for them. God’s work was undoubtedly all finished at the beginning of the world; as one text says, referring to the seventh day: After all his work God rested on the seventh day. The text we are considering says: They shall not reach the place of rest I had for them. It is established, then, that there would be some people who would reach it, and since those who first heard the Good News failed to reach it through their disobedience, God fixed another day when, much later, he said ‘today’ through David in the text already quoted: If only you would listen to him today; do not harden your hearts. If Joshua had led them into this place of rest, God would not later on have spoken so much of another day. There must still be, therefore, a place of rest reserved for God’s people, the seventh-day rest, since to reach the place of rest is to rest after your work, as God did after his. We must therefore do everything we can to reach this place of rest, or some of you might copy this example of disobedience and be lost. The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.

Reading

Hebrews 4:1 - 13 ©

Be careful: the promise of reaching the place of rest he had for them still holds good, and none of you must think that he has come too late for it. We received the Good News exactly as they did; but hearing the message did them no good because they did not share the faith of those who listened. We, however, who have faith, shall reach a place of rest, as in the text: And so, in anger, I swore that not one would reach the place of rest I had for them. God’s work was undoubtedly all finished at the beginning of the world; as one text says, referring to the seventh day: After all his work God rested on the seventh day. The text we are considering says: They shall not reach the place of rest I had for them. It is established, then, that there would be some people who would reach it, and since those who first heard the Good News failed to reach it through their disobedience, God fixed another day when, much later, he said ‘today’ through David in the text already quoted: If only you would listen to him today; do not harden your hearts. If Joshua had led them into this place of rest, God would not later on have spoken so much of another day. There must still be, therefore, a place of rest reserved for God’s people, the seventh-day rest, since to reach the place of rest is to rest after your work, as God did after his. We must therefore do everything we can to reach this place of rest, or some of you might copy this example of disobedience and be lost.
The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.

Reading	From an ancient homily for Holy Saturday
The Lord's descent into the underworld
Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all”. Christ answered him: “And with your spirit”. He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light”. I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

Reading

From an ancient homily for Holy Saturday

The Lord's descent into the underworld

Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all”. Christ answered him: “And with your spirit”. He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light”.
I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.
See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.
I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.
Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Christ became obedient for us unto death, even to the death of the cross.

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April 15, 2006

Holy Saturday

On Holy Saturday the Church waits at the Lord's tomb, meditating on his suffering and death. The altar is left bare, and the sacrifice of the Mass is not celebrated. Only after the solemn vigil during the night, held in anticipation of the resurrection, does the Easter celebration begin, with a spirit of joy that overflows into the following period of fifty days.

The Station today is at St. John Lateran. During the afternoon of Holy Saturday the faithful were summoned here for the final scrutiny of the catechumens. Then, in the evening began the vigil or night of watching which concluded at dawn with the solemn baptisms — the neophytes, plunged into the baptismal waters and there buried with Christ, were born to the life of grace at the very time when our Savior came forth triumphant from the tomb at dawn on Easter morning.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday (from Sabbatum Sanctum, its official liturgical name) is sacred as the day of the Lord's rest; it has been called the "Second Sabbath" after creation. The day is and should be the most calm and quiet day of the entire Church year, a day broken by no liturgical function. Christ lies in the grave, the Church sits near and mourns. After the great battle He is resting in peace, but upon Him we see the scars of intense suffering...The mortal wounds on His Body remain visible....Jesus' enemies are still furious, attempting to obliterate the very memory of the Lord by lies and slander.

Mary and the disciples are grief-stricken, while the Church must mournfully admit that too many of her children return home from Calvary cold and hard of heart. When Mother Church reflects upon all of this, it seems as if the wounds of her dearly Beloved were again beginning to bleed.

"According to tradition, the entire body of the Church is represented in Mary: she is the "credentium collectio universa". Thus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she waits near the Lord's tomb, as she is represented in Christian tradition, is an icon of the Virgin Church keeping vigil at the tomb of her Spouse while awaiting the celebration of his resurrection.
"The pious exercise of the Ora della Madre is inspired by this intuition of the relationship between the Virgin Mary and the Church: while the body of her Son lays in the tomb and his soul has descended to the dead to announce liberation from the shadow of darkness to his ancestors, the Blessed Virgin Mary, foreshadowing and representing the Church, awaits, in faith, the victorious triumph of her Son over death." — Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

Although we are still in mourning, there is much preparation during this day to prepare for Easter. Out of the kitchen comes the smells of Easter pastries and bread, the lamb or hams and of course, the Easter eggs.

There are no liturgies celebrated this day, unless the local parish priest blesses the food baskets. In Slavic countries there is a blessing of the traditional Easter foods, prepared in baskets: eggs, ham, lamb and sausages, butter and cheeses, horseradish and salt and the Easter breads. The Easter blessings of food owe their origin to the fact that these particular foods, namely, fleshmeat and milk products, including eggs, were forbidden in the Middle Ages during the Lenten fast and abstinence. When the feast of Easter brought the rigorous fast to an end, and these foods were again allowed at table, the people showed their joy and gratitude by first taking the food to church for a blessing. Moreover, they hoped that the Church's blessing on such edibles would prove a remedy for whatever harmful effects the body might have suffered from the long period of self-denial. Today the Easter blessings of food are still held in many churches in the United States, especially in Slavic parishes.

If there is no blessing for the Easter foods in the parish, the father of the family can pray the Blessing over the Easter foods.

It is during the night between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday that the Easter Vigil is celebrated. The service begins around ten o'clock, in order that the solemn vigil Mass may start at midnight.

Activities

Today we remember Christ in the tomb. It is not Easter yet, so it's not time for celebration. The day is usually spent working on the final preparations for the biggest feast of the Church year. The list of suggested activities is long, but highlights are decorating Easter eggs and attending a special Easter food blessing.
For families with smaller children, you could create a miniature Easter garden, with a tomb. The figure of the risen Christ will be placed in the garden on Easter morning.
Another activity for families is creation of a paschal candle to use at home.
The Directory on Popular Piety discusses some of the various devotions related to Easter, including the Blessing of the Family Table, Annual Blessing of Family Home, the Via Lucis and the Visit to the Mother of the Risen Christ.

Psalm 63 (64)
A prayer against enemies
Listen, O God, to my voice; keep me safe from fear of the enemy. Protect me from the alliances of the wicked, from the crowd of those who do evil. They have sharpened their tongues like swords, aimed poisonous words like arrows, to shoot at the innocent in secret. They will attack without warning, without fear, for they are firm in their evil purpose. They have set out to hide their snares – for they say, “Who will see us?” They have thought out plans to commit wicked deeds, and they carry out what they have planned. Truly the heart and soul of a man are bottomless depths. And God has shot them with his arrow: in a moment, they are wounded – their own tongues have brought them low. All who see them will shake their heads; all will behold them with fear and proclaim the workings of God and understand what he has done. The just will rejoice and hope in the Lord: the upright in heart will give him glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle	Isaiah 38
The psalm of Hezekiah on recovering from sickness
I said, in the middle of my days I am going to the gates of the underworld. Where shall I find the remainder of my years? I said, I will not see the Lord God in the land of the living, I will never see another of the inhabitants of the earth. My dwelling-place is taken away, taken far away from me, like the tent of a shepherd. Like a weaver, he has rolled up my life and cut it off from the loom. From morning to night, you have made an end of me. I cried for help till daybreak; like a lion, he has crushed all my bones. From morning to night, you have made an end of me. I twitter like a fledgling sparrow, make noises like a dove. My eyes are weak from looking upward. But you have pulled my soul out of the pit of destruction, you have put all my sins behind you. For after all, the underworld will not proclaim you, nor death praise you; those who go down there do not wait in hope for your faithfulness. It is the living, the living who will proclaim you, as I do today. Fathers will pass on to their children the truth of your faithfulness. Save me, Lord, and to the sound of the harp we will sing to you, all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty firmament. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for all his greatness. Praise him with trumpet-blasts, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipes, praise him with cymbals resounding, praise him with cymbals of jubilation. All that breathes, praise the Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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Office of Readings

Morning Prayer (Lauds)