Gen. 1: 1-2:2 | Exod. 14:15-15:1 | Exod.

14:15-15:1
Is. 54: 5-14 | Is. 55: 1-11 | Ez. 36: 16-28
(Gloria)
Rom. 6: 3-11
Mt. 28: 1-10

Holy Saturday
Cycle A 15 April 2017
INTRODUCTION:

On Easter Vigil, the whole Church watches

at night in prayer and hymns, listening to
God's Word explain the meaning of
Christ's Resurrection in symbols that end
in the breaking of bread at Mass.
Do you recognize these symbols and what they
stand for?
1
AT THE DESIGNATED STATION OR MEETING PLACE:

* BLESSING OF FIRE:
symbolic of the Holy Spirit
who moves everything in
the world and in the Church
according to The Father's
over-all design.
1
AT THE DESIGNATED STATION OR MEETING PLACE:

* BLESSING OF THE
PASCHAL CANDLE:
symbolic of the Risen
Christ.
1
AT THE DESIGNATED STATION OR MEETING PLACE:

* LIGHTING OF THE
PASCHAL CANDLE:
symbolic of the Risen
Christ as the Light of the
World that alone
illuminates the world.
2 PROCESSION OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE TO THE
CHURCH: symbolic of the Journey of humankind into his
Final End only with the Light of Christ guiding men and
world events:

* PROCLAMATION OF
CHRIST AS LIGHT:
illuminating every one and
every place little by little until
the whole Church, standing for
the world, is illuminated
through Evangelization.
2 PROCESSION OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE TO THE
CHURCH: symbolic of the Journey of humankind into his
Final End only with the Light of Christ guiding men and
world events:

* LITURGY OF THE
WORD:
God speaks to his
People and the People
listen.
2 PROCESSION OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE TO THE
CHURCH: symbolic of the Journey of humankind into his
Final End only with the Light of Christ guiding men and
world events:

* GLORIA:
Sung after the 5th or
7th Reading while
Altar of Sacrifice is
decorated
2 PROCESSION OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE TO THE
CHURCH: symbolic of the Journey of humankind into his
Final End only with the Light of Christ guiding men and
world events:

* BLESSING OF
WATER for Adult
Baptism, if there is any.
2 PROCESSION OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE TO THE
CHURCH: symbolic of the Journey of humankind into his
Final End only with the Light of Christ guiding men and
world events:

* RENEWAL OF
BAPTISMAL
PROMISES
(CREDO/I BELIEVE
on Sundays)
3
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

* PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS (OFFERTORY)

* CONSECRATION OF THE BREAD AND WINE
* HOLY COMMUNION (EASTER DUTY): for all
those prepared well by reception of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation during the Lenten Season or within the

current year 2016-2017.

* FINAL BLESSING: A Blessed and Happy Easter!
CONCLUSION:

What is Easter all about?

is all about the man Jesus of

Nazareth who was put to death by Pilate and
buried by his disciples, but was brought back
to life by the power of God.
CONCLUSION:

What was then expected to happen at the end

of time happened in time with this man Jesus.
This never happened before! This novelty
became the central message of
Christianity that the followers of Jesus
testified to, even to the point of death.
+ART
CONCLUSION:

That is why most of his followers in the

first three hundred years
died a martyrs' death.
What are then
the implications of this novel teaching?
(1)
The divine manner of
establishing order differs from
the way of worldly powers. The
customary way is through
violence. The Cross was a
violent symbol of Roman
domination at the time of Jesus.
(1)

There are others even

today: guns, death penalty
by lethal injection in place
of the old electric chair
and gas chamber, etc. . .
(1)

The way the Risen Jesus treated

his disciples in the Gospel of
today spells the difference!
All of them were in
fear.
(1)
When they saw Jesus for the first time, he
showed them his hands and his feet still
bearing the marks of violence in his body,
what was Jesus' first remark to them?
"Shalom! Peace!" when everyone of them
thought Jesus was coming for a vengeance.
He exemplified by his gesture that Love,
more than brute force, conquers all!
(2)
God has not given up on his Creation
where he made everything good and
every human being very good.

Easter represents God's great

"Yes" to humanity.
(2)
Throughout history, humanity has turned its
back on God ( The Fall, The Flood, Tower of
Babel, Wanderings in the Desert, Slavery in
Egypt, the Golden Calf, Captivity in Babylon,
etc. . .) but the Lord has constantly sent rescue
operations (Noah's Ark, Ark of the Covenant,
Abraham and the Patriarchs, Moses, David,
John The Baptist, Jesus' Incarnation, etc. . .) to
bring us back into communion with him.
(2)

The Resurrection of Christ is the

definitive rescue operation and is our
sure hope of glory and salvation! +ART