Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil

March 31, 2018

Readings:

      Genesis 1: 1-2: 2 (or 1: 1, 26-31a)

      Ps. 104 (or Ps. 33)

      Genesis 22: 1-18 (or 22: 1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

      Ps. 16

      Exodus 14: 15-15: 1

      Exodus 15

      Isaiah 54: 5-14

      Ps. 30

      Isaiah 55: 1-11

      Isaiah 12

      Baruch 3: 9-15

      Ps. 19

      Ezekiel 36: 16-17a, 18-28

      Ps. 42 and 43 (or Isaiah 12 or Ps. 51)

      Romans 6: 3-11

      Ps. 118

      Gospel reading according to Mark (16: 1-7)

+

Homily:  The Resurrection of Jesus 

It is still early in the morning.  Three women disciples were busy planning what to do and what to buy.  They decided to buy spices to be used for anointing.  They are going to cleanse and anoint the blooded and wounded body of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it was not cleansed properly and anointed for it was Sabbath day.  “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint Jesus.  Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb” (Mar 16: 1-2).  They were in a hurry.  They would like to anoint the dead body of Jesus before it catches microbes that will facilitate its immediate and faster decay and foul smell.  But they forgot to tell some men to accompany them so that they can help them push the stone covering of the tomb open so that they can enter the tomb. “They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (Mark 16: 3).  For it was impossible for these three women to push the stone covering of the tomb open for it was very large and heavy.  But suddenly, upon their arrival to the tomb, they found out that it was already open.  “When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large” (Mark 16: 4).  Someone or some persons have opened it. 

Still they entered the tomb, hoping that they can find the dead body and it is still there so that they can perform the rituals of cleansing and anointing for the dead.  They were surprised when they found out that the body was no longer there, but instead they found someone.  “On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they utterly amazed” (Mark 16: 5).  They were amazed of what they have found and saw.

The young man who was an angle spoke to them.  “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” (Mark 16: 6-7).   They were told by the angel that Jesus has been raised from the dead and that he is not there.  He told them also to go and tell his disciples, especially Peter, that he is alive and rose from the dead.  Also, the angel said to tell his disciples that he is going to Galilee and there they will see him as what he had told them when he was still alive.