HOLY SATURDAY AT THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT OF EASTER GospelMark 16:1-8

HOLY SATURDAY AT THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT OF EASTER GospelMark 16:1-8

READING OF THE DAY

Today's Readings are taken from the Office of Readings from the Liturgy of the Hours

A reading from the Letter to the HebrewsHeb 4, 1-16

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.  For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath,

‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew 27:60-66

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In God's Word today, God the Father calls everyone to believe in Jesus Christ who died and rose again to save all humanity. This belief is very great, covering the entire life of all those who believe in the Only Begotten Son of God the Father coming to earth to become a human being. It is He who will bring life to humanity when humans have absolute faith in the words that God the Father has promised to give a Savior to all humanity.

When participating in the vigil to celebrate Jesus' Resurrection, we must have absolute confidence that this is the truth, these are things that come from God to save people. All the sins that we have committed against God and others will be erased by God the Father when we truly repent.

This is a Night of Blessings that God the Father shower on humanity. We must open our hearts to receive grace on this Night of Blessings. It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that brings eternal life to humanity. The great love of God the Father has overcome death and has conquered death. Therefore, we must know how to run to God and worship Him, because His love has been bestowed upon our souls.

God the Father calls mankind to believe absolutely in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; to believe in the Word of God that has been transmitted to people today about the resurrection of the only Son of God the Father, who died after three days; to Believe in the testimony of the disciples of old, who believed in the words of the only Son of God the Father, who said: He would die and rise again after three days.

After three days, this very night, the resurrection of God the Father's only Son has covered all humanity. The power and light of the resurrection of God the Father's only Son will conquer death. And death will have to submit to the immense love of God the Father's only Son: He sacrificed Himself to save all humanity. There is no love as great as God's love for humans! Therefore, people must put absolute trust in Him and submit to Him. Run to Him on this vigil night.

Furthermore, we must be awakened to Satan's tempting schemes, because they will make people lose faith in God, and lose faith in the sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through that, they will plant into the minds and hearts of humanity that: who testify to the resurrection of God. Who saw the resurrected Lord? That is the temptation of Satan lurking to draw souls away from the Love of God the Father.

As for God the Father, He always calls people to use faith in return. This is having absolute confidence that God is real, and His Love is given to humanity, through the image of God the Father's only Son, Jesus Christ, who died and was resurrected to save all humans, is real. Because there is no love greater than the love of the One who sacrificed His own life like God the Father!

On a contrary to Satan's evil, he is always lurking, luring people to obey him and to live in suffering, death, hatred, and disobedience to the will of God the Father.

As for the love of God the Father, He always calls people to live in love: sacrifice, giving, holiness, purity, tolerance, kindness, meekness, and humility, in contrast to Satan's temptations. which are: hatred, jealousy, selfishness, division, envy, pride, and disobedience to the will of God the Father.

This is a night of vigil celebrating God's resurrection to eliminate hatred, death, and the darkness that Satan is raging war on humanity.

O Children of God the Father, run to Him on this night of vigil, give thanks to God the Father, call on His holy name, and ask Him to forgive our punishments, ask Him to erase all our mistakes that have offended God, offended our bodies and souls, and offended others. Ask God to erase all our sins through His death and resurrection, through the purification in the blood and water of God the Father's only Son. Let Him spread to our bodies and souls, and let Him erase all the mistakes that we have offended God the Father for so long, ask Him to have mercy on us.

That is the wisdom to call on God the Father, that is the wisdom that humans need to submit to the Will of God the Father, we need to prostrate ourselves before His Holy Face to ask Him to forgive our sins. For even Satan himself, in hell, must submit and worship the Only Begotten Son of God the Father, much less human beings.

In God's Word today, God the Father calls humanity to abandon our sinful path and return to reconcile with God the Father. As we Beat our chests to repent of our sins, confess our sins of disobeying the will of God the Father, ask His blood and water to purify our sins, so that we will be resurrected with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven, so that we may enjoy glory with God in His kingdom forever.

Thanks be to God. Amen.