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 Mark, chapter sixteen, verses one thru seven.
Friends, on this Holy Saturday in our Gospel we hear St. Mark’s account of the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the be-all and end-all of the Christian faith. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, all bishops, priests, and Christian ministers should go home and get honest jobs, and all the Christian faithful should leave their churches immediately.Video reflection by Marc DelMonico, Ph.D. (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Triduum Reflection.
As Paul himself put it: “If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, your faith…. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.” It’s no good, of course, trying to explain the Resurrection away or rationalize it as a myth, a symbol, or an inner subjective experience. None of that does justice to the novelty and sheer strangeness of the biblical message.
It comes down finally to this: if Jesus was not raised from death, Christianity is a fraud and a joke. But if he did rise from death, then Christianity is the fullness of God’s revelation, and Jesus must be the absolute center of our lives. There is no third option.
Reflect: Why does St. Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians say that if Christ has not been raised, your faith is “empty”?
Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.
"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."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
"The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith of love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
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