Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil)

April 11, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 1: 1, 26-31a

Psalm 104 “Lord, send out your Sprit, and renew the face of the earth.”

Second Reading: Genesis 22: 1-18

Gospel reading according to Matthew 28: 1-10

+

Homily: Jesus is risen from the dead

The Sabbath and the Passover Seder were finished, but what happened in the Upper Room, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the arrest and interrogation of the chief priests and elders to Jesus, the presentation of Jesus to Pontius Pirate, the riot of the Jews between Barabbas and Jesus, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion and death of Jesus, all of this is still vivid in the minds and hearts of the men and women disciples of Jesus.  They were afraid to the Jews that they may follow in persecution of the Jews and so they were hiding.   But a new day is dawned.  “After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb” (Matthew 28: 1).  Sneaking in the dark of the dawn, Mary of Magdala and other Marys’ were in a hurry to go to the tomb where Jesus was buried, at the very early hour in the morning, so that nobody can see them; it was still dawn.  Most probably one of the Marys’ mentioned was Mary of Bethany who has remaining perfumed oil made of aromatic nard that left when she anointed the feet of Jesus and now to anoint the whole body of Jesus.  Since it was Sabbath when Jesus died, they were not able to anoint the whole body of Jesus before he was buried.  So this early morning they will perform the anointing.   

They have not reached yet the tomb when suddenly there was a great earthquake.  “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.  His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow” (Matthew 28: 2-3). An angel of God descended from heaven who caused the earthquake; he came to the tomb and rolled back the stone that covered the tomb, and sat down upon it.  His appearance was radiantly white and his clothes as white as snow.

Even the soldiers who were guarding the tomb fell down and shaken and became dreadful of that great earthquake. As they fell down they were as if struck dead.  “The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men” (Matthew 28: 4).  They were unable to move their bodies and did not know what to do or say.  They were terrified of what they experienced and saw.

The angel of the Lord talked to the women, for they were afraid of what was happening.  They did not expect to see an angel of the Lord at that moment.  “Then the angel said to the women in reply, ‵Do not be afraid!  I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.  He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‵He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.′ Behold, I have told you′.” (Matthew 28: 5-7).  The angel announced to them that Jesus was no longer held by the tomb, for he was resurrected from the dead.  He even told them to see the inside of the tomb where he was laid.  He commissioned them to tell his disciples of what they witnessed and to tell them the good news of the resurrection of Jesus.  Also, he told them to tell his disciples that they will meet him in Galilee where he started calling them to become fishers of men and women.  In Galilee, they will see him there alive.

After they saw the empty tomb, they were about to look for the disciples in their hiding places to tell what the angel told them.   “Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples” (Matthew 28: 8).  They were fearful but overcame with joy to what they were witnessed.  They also became apostles to the Apostles in bringing the good news of the resurrection from the dead of Jesus their Master and Lord.

Along the way, they met the resurrected Christ Jesus.  They were full of joy when they met Jesus alive.  While Jesus greeted them of Easter greeting.  “And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.  They approached, embraced his feet and did him homage.  Then Jesus said to them, ‵Do not be afraid.  Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me′.” (Matthew 28: 9-10).  Because of unexpressed happiness and joy, they embraced Jesus’s feet and gave him homage.  And again, Jesus repeated the message of the angel for his disciples that they should go to Galilee, there they will see him.