Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil)

April 20, 2019

Readings:

First Reading:

Second Reading:

Third Reading: Exodus 14: 15 – 15: 1

Psalm: Exodus 15

Gospel reading according to Luke 24: 1-12

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Homily

Early in the morning dawn, after yesterday’s celebration of the most solemn Sabbath Day, the women from Galilee (Nazareth) – Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary Salome the mother of James and Joses, cannot wait to rise the sun up in the sky to go to the cemetery where Jesus’ body was laid to rest. Though they were not familiar to the place in Jerusalem, for these women who had come from Galilee, they saw the tomb and how the body was buried; so they knew where Jesus was buried for they also joined and accompanied those who brought the dead body of Jesus into the new tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea which nobody yet buried, this Joseph was the one who asked Pontius Pilate to take the dead body of Jesus down on the cross to be buried of which Pontius Pilate issued the release of the dead body of Jesus.  They went back home to prepare spices and perfumes.  “At daybreak on the first day of the week the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb” (Lk. 24: 1).  Although Nicodemus poured myrrh and aloes and in accordance with Jewish burial custom bound it up in wrappings of cloth with perfumed oil, these women prepared still the spices that will embalm the body of Jesus.  They were in a hurry and frantic to cleanse the body of Jesus full of blood.

When they arrived at the tomb, they saw the cover stone was rolled away and the inside of the tomb was exposed.  “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; . . .” (Lk. 24: 2).  The more they became anxious and nervous.  They already suspected what they have felt at that very moment.  “. . . but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Lk. 24: 3).  They were disbelieved when they came inside the tomb and saw nothing inside there; even the dead body of Jesus was gone.

They cannot believe that Jesus’ body was missing.  They were reflecting the meaning of it when suddenly two angels of the Lord appeared to them.  “While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground” (Lk. 24: 4-5).  After seeing the angels they gave homage to them by bowing down their faces to the ground as a sign of reverence to the angels of the Lord even though they were frightened of this appearance.

The angels told them that Jesus is not with the dead but is alive, that Jesus is no longer held by the tomb and/or death, and that Jesus is risen from the dead.   “They said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living one among the dead?  He is not here, but he has been raised.  Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.’ And they remembered his words” (Lk. 24: 6-8).  They were reminded of what Jesus said while he was still with them, of what will happen to him in the hands of the officials in the temple and sinners, be crucified and put to death, but on the third day he will rise again.  Now, he resurrected after three days as he has promised to his disciples and followers.   

Because of this great news they witnessed with their own eyes (the empty tomb) and what they heard from the two angels who appeared to them and announced the good news, they were happy to bring and to proclaim this good news to his disciples.  “Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others” (Lk. 24: 9).  They returned to the place where the rest of the apostles and to the others were hiding the good news of what the angels told them about the resurrection of Jesus.  

The first witnesses of the empty tomb were women whose names were very popular.  Three women were mentioned, but the other women and maybe some men who would help them to roll the stone cover of the tomb were silent.  “The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the Apostles . . .” (Lk. 24: 10). Even those other women (and men) who accompanied the three Marys’ told the apostles of what they saw and heard and witnessed.

But the apostles were not interested to the news brought to them about the raising of Jesus from the dead, “nagte-tengang kawali lang sila,” maybe because the ones who brought the news were women, connoting gossip monger or fake news.  They did not mind the great news of all the good news.  “. . . but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them.  But Peter got up and run to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloth alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened” (Lk. 24: 11-12).  Except Peter, he came out from where he was hiding for he wanted to know the truth; he wanted to see by his own eyes what these women were telling to them, “to see is to believe,” as a saying goes.  So he went to the tomb where Jesus was laid down.  Even he was hiding due to shame of what he said and done to Jesus, when he denied him three times, he who was not present in the Golgotha where Jesus was crucified, and he who was not present when Jesus was laid in the tomb, with contrite heart and afflicted spirit he went to the tomb to see what really happened.  He saw and he believed and went back to where he was hiding amazed at what had happened, to what he saw and witnessed.