The Popish Plot
"Apollo 13 & Holy Saturday" (retitled "Apollo 13 & Easter Vigil;" come on, Mrs. Envy, at least include the definite article: "Apollo 13 & the Easter Vigil"!)
Death without the Eucharist: Day 25
He was twenty-five days dying & not yet dead.
'Tis Holy Saturday, act three of the Sacred Triduum, the Saturday of Holy Week: Holy Saturday-link & Wikipedia-link Holy Saturday, & Wikipedia-link Sacred Triduum; Holy Week-link & Wikipedia-link Holy Week.
Commentary: Wayback Machine Holy Saturday.
Scripture of This Night
Mass Readings—The Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter
I. The Book of Genesis, chapter one, verse one thru chapter two, verse two
(or, the Book of Genesis, chapter one, verses one & twenty-six thru thirty-one[a]);
Psalm One Hundred Four, verses one & two; five & six; ten; twelve, thirteen, & fourteen; twenty-four; & thirty-five;
or, Psalm Thirty-three, verses four thru seven, twelve & thirteen, & twenty & twenty-two;
II. The Book of Genesis, chapter twenty-two, verses one thru eighteen
(or, the Book of Genesis, chapter twenty-two, verses one, two, nine[a] thru thirteen, & fifteen thru eighteen);
Psalm Sixteen, verses five, eight, nine& ten, & eleven;
III. The Book of Exodus, chapter fourteen, verse fifteen thru chapter fifteen, verse one;
The Book of Exodus, chapter fifteen, verses one & two, three & four, five & six, & seventeen & eighteen;
IV. The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-four, verses five thru fourteen;
Psalm Thirty, verses two, four, five & six, eleven & twelve, & thirteen;
V. The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-five, verses one thru eleven;
The Book of Isaiah, chapter twelve, verses two & three, four, & five & six;
VI. The Book of Baruch, chapter three, verses nine thru fifteen & thirty-two thru chapter four, verse four;
Psalm Nineteen, verses eight, nine, ten, & eleven;
VII. The Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-six, verses sixteen, seventeen(a), & eighteen thru twenty-eight;
Psalm Forty-two, verses three & five & Psalm Forty-three, verses three & four;
or, the Book of Isaiah, chapter twelve, verses two & three, four(b/c/d), & five & six;
or, Psalm Fifty-one, verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen, & eighteen & nineteen;
VIII. The Letter to the Romans, chapter six, verses three thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, verses one & two, sixteen & seventeen, & twenty-two & twenty-three;
IX. The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-eight, verses one thru ten.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel tells of the women who were the first witnesses of the Resurrection.Video reflection by Marc DelMonico, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Jesus goes into the kingdom of death and brings to that dark place the light of God—and more to the point, he brings the power of God, and with this power, he breaks the hold that death has over us. In the language of the Church Fathers, Jesus has tied up and defeated the devil, thereby freeing us from the one who held us for ransom.
Thus the Resurrection of Jesus is the declaration of victory over this terrible power. In all of the Gospel accounts, mention is made of the huge stone rolled across the entrance of Jesus’ tomb. This seems to stand for the awful finality of death, the irreversible, dense facticity of it. It seems to be that power that can never be countered or gainsaid. But in Jesus’ victory, that stone is effortlessly rolled away.
The power that has held us ransom has been overthrown; the dark cloud that has brooded over our lives, turning us in on ourselves and outward in violence, has been removed. With Paul, we can mock the former lord of the world: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
Reflect: Why does St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians say that if Christ has not been raised, your faith is [in] vain?
"Easter of Hope" Reflection (Array of Hope):
In Today’s Gospel, we experience the tragedy and hope of Christ’s death. After a great tragedy, the days following it are always marked with a profound silence, but a silence that feels incredibly empty, like a void. As the women approached the tomb, they were most likely silent, feeling incredibly empty, and sensing a void where Jesus’ presence used to be. Once they arrive at the tomb, they did not find the body of Christ. The angel told them “He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Their grief becomes amazement and their sorrow becomes joy. God literally shook them out of their mourning and filled them with a cause to rejoice. Like the women, none of us can escape the pain of grief and sorrow. Loss, pain, tragedy and suffering are now a part of our daily lives, but in the Resurrection story we find evidence of how God confronts us in our loss and offers us hope and redemption.
How are you coping with the grief and suffering [due] to the current global pandemic? During this time, each of us have a choice when faced with tragedy in our lives. When confronted with God’s grace and desire to heal, we can harden our hearts and become insensitive to God’s love. Or we can follow the example of these biblical women who remained with Jesus throughout His sufferings and came to Him in service even after His death. Even though they could not see Him in their pain, they believed He was with them. When they arrived at the tomb, they were consoled in their sorrow. Jesus entered into their human experience and revealed Himself to them. He then entrusted them with a mission to announce the good news of His Resurrection to others.
Today’s Tip: Say the Sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary. Invite Jesus into your suffering as you mediate on His. Only then can you break through the darkness of your deepest sorrow and truly experience the goodness that comes from Our Lord’s Resurrection and share the Good News with our fellow brothers and sisters.
Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 90
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses four thru nine;
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty, verses eleven thru twenty.
Commentary: The Great Commandment (Deuteronomy, 6:4-9) & Exhortation to Choose Life (30:11-20).
Scripture Study—The 3:16 Project
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter three, verse sixteen.
John answered that all, "I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of Whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit & with fire."†
Otherwise, 11 April would be the commemoration of Saint Godeberta of Noyon, Abbess (circa 640-700, also spelt Godebertha, Godberta), abbess of an abbey at Noyon: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the commemoration of Saint Guthlac of Crowland, Priest & Hermit, O.S.B. (circa 673-715), atop whose cell was later built Crowland Abbey (also spelt Croyland): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link Crowland & Wikipedia-link Crowland.
Commentary: Wayback Machine '18.
'Twould also be the commemoration of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr (1030-1079, of Szczepanów, of Kraków; also spelt Stanisław Szczepanowski), seventh (VII) Bishop of Kraków (1072-1079), martyred personally by the Polish king Bolesław II "the Cruel:" Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Kraków.
'Twould also be the commemoration of Blessed George Gervase, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (1571-1608, also spelt Jervise), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, one of the one hundred sixty Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.
'Twould also be the commemoration of Saint Gemma Galgani, Virgin, C.P. (1878-1903, the "Flower of Lucca" & the "Daughter of Passion"), stigmatist: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.
'Twould also be the commemoration of Blessed Elena Guerra, Religious, O.S.S. (1835-1914), foundress of the Oblates of the Holy Spirit (1882, O.S.S.): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.S.S.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"The readings in the Paschal Vigil carry us into the mysterious arena where human sin meets God's justice & mercy. There life & death 'have contended,' & there the victory of the risen Christ over death stands out as the source of our salvation & the model of Christian living."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
"There are no times so bad that a good man cannot live in them."
—St. Thomas More (1478-1535, feast: 22 June)
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