Friday, March 29, 2024

Easter Sunday the Resurrection of the Lord - At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

Catechism Links[1]
CCC 638-655, 989, 1001-1002: the Resurrection of Christ and our resurrection
CCC 647, 1167-1170, 1243, 1287: Easter, the Lord’s Day
CCC 1212: the Sacraments of Initiation
CCC 1214-1222, 1226-1228, 1234-1245, 1254: Baptism
CCC 1286-1289: Confirmation
CCC 1322-1323: Eucharist

“The Two Marys at the Tomb”
by Bartolomeo Schedoni, 1613

Readings for Easter Vigil [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary:[4]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 1:1—2:2
 
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss,
while a mighty wind swept over the waters.
 
Then God said,
"Let there be light," and there was light.
God saw how good the light was.
God then separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night."
Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day.
 
Then God said,
"Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters,
to separate one body of water from the other."
And so it happened:
God made the dome,
and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
God called the dome "the sky."
Evening came, and morning followed—the second day.
 
Then God said,
"Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin,
so that the dry land may appear."
And so it happened:
the water under the sky was gathered into its basin,
and the dry land appeared.
God called the dry land "the earth, "
and the basin of the water he called "the sea."
God saw how good it was.
Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth vegetation:
every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it."
And so it happened:
the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed—the third day.
 
Then God said:
"Let there be lights in the dome of the sky,
to separate day from night.
Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,
and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth."
And so it happened:
God made the two great lights,
the greater one to govern the day,
and the lesser one to govern the night;
and he made the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth,
to govern the day and the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed—the fourth day.
 
Then God said,
"Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky."
And so it happened:
God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems,
and all kinds of winged birds.
God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,
"Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth."
Evening came, and morning followed—the fifth day.
 
Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds."
And so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed—the sixth day.
 
Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished
with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
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Commentary on Gn 1:1—2:2
 
Scripture begins with the first creation account from Genesis. God creates the universe, the earth, and all living things. God creates an orderly universe out of primordial chaos. The separation of the waters (fresh water from salt waters of the sea and “the upper waters” held up by the dome of the sky) are later referenced in 2 Kings 7:22 Kings 7:19 and Psalm 104:13. The ancient authors considered a day to begin at sunset. The literary structure used, breaking God’s creative effort into six days, stressed the sacredness of the seventh day in the faith structure of the Israelites. His final creation is the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship. The creation of humankind is considered the climax of God’s creative action primarily because God gives dominion to us over the rest of creation.
 
CCC: Gn 1:1-2:4 337; Gn 1:1 268, 279, 280, 290; Gn 1:2-3 292; Gn 1:2 243, 703, 1218; Gn 1:3 298; Gn 1:4 299; Gn 1:10 299; Gn 1:12 299; Gn 1:14 347; Gn 1:18 299; Gn 1:21 299; Gn 1:26-29 2402; Gn 1:26-28 307; Gn 1:26-27 1602; Gn 1:26 36, 225, 299, 343, 2501, 2809; Gn 1:27 355, 383, 1604, 2331; Gn 1:28-31 2415; Gn 1:28 372, 373, 1604, 1607, 1652, 2331, 2427; Gn 1:31 299, 1604; Gn 2:1-3 345; Gn 2:2 314, 2184
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Or:  Genesis 1:1, 26-31a
 
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
 
God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.
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Commentary on Genesis 1:1, 26-31a
 
This shorter version of the first creation account from Genesis omits how God created the universe and the earth. It begins with the creation of all living things and concludes with the creation of man and woman. The focus is changed from emphasis on all creation to the creation of life in all its diversity.
 
CCC: Gn 1:1-2:4 337; Gn 1:1 268, 279, 280, 290; Gn 1:2-3 292Gn 1:26-28 307; Gn 1:26-27 1602; Gn 1:26 36, 225, 299, 343, 2501, 2809; Gn 1:27 355, 383, 1604, 2331; Gn 1:28-31 2415; Gn 1:28 372, 373, 1604, 1607, 1652, 2331, 2427; Gn 1:31 299, 1604
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35
 
R. (30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
 
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
 
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
with the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
 
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
 
You water the mountains from your palace;
the earth is replete with the fruit of your works.
You raise grass for the cattle,
and vegetation for man's use,
Producing bread from the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
 
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures.
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
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Commentary on Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35
 
Psalm 104 is a song of thanksgiving celebrating God's great gift in the creation event. A constant theme through the psalms is thanks for the gift of God's creation. What greater proof have we that God loves us than the constant reminder he gives us in all that exists, created, as we were, by his will.
 
CCC: Ps 104 288; Ps 104:13-15 1333; Ps 104:24 295
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Or:  Psalm 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 and 22
 
R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
 
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
 
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask;
in cellars he confines the deep.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
 
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
 
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 and 22
 
Psalm 33 is a song of thanksgiving for God’s creative majesty. In this song the Logos is also mentioned tying the creative event to Jesus – the Word of God – the Logos. All of our hope and trust lies with the salvation he promises.
 
CCC: Ps 33:6 292, 703
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Reading II: Genesis 22:1-18
 
God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
Then God said:
"Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you."
Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,
took with him his son Isaac and two of his servants as well,
and with the wood that he had cut for the holocaust,
set out for the place of which God had told him.
 
On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
Then he said to his servants:
"Both of you stay here with the donkey,
while the boy and I go on over yonder.
We will worship and then come back to you."
Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust
and laid it on his son Isaac's shoulders,
while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham:
"Father!" Isaac said.
"Yes, son," he replied.
Isaac continued, "Here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the sheep for the holocaust?"
"Son," Abraham answered,
"God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust."
Then the two continued going forward.
 
When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Next he tied up his son Isaac,
and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven,
"Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am!" he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger.
"Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.
Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh;
hence people now say, On the mountain the LORD will see."
 
Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
"I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing
all this because you obeyed my command."
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Commentary on Gn 22:1-18
 
Abraham is put to the test to prove his faithfulness to God. He is to offer his son Isaac as a holocaust – an offering completely burnt on the altar. Abraham, though reluctant, is faithful to God and follows his instructions. At the last moment, when God is sure that Abraham has greater love for God than even for his beloved son Isaac, he stops Abraham and “blesses him abundantly,” making him the father of nations. (Note: the use of the term “beloved”: “Only one: uniquely precious, especially loved; therefore the same term is rendered in Genesis 22:12, 17 as 'beloved.'" [5] This connotation is used extensively in the New Testament identifying Jesus as God’s “beloved” son; again, only one and uniquely precious (Matthew 3:17Matthew 17:5Mark 9:7Colossians 1:13)
 
CCC: Gn 22:1-18 1819; Gn 22:8 2572; Gn 22:11 332; Gn 22:17-19 706
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Or: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
 
God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am, " he replied.
Then God said:
"Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you."
 
When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven,
"Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am, " he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger.
"Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.
 
Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
"I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing
all this because you obeyed my command."
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Commentary on Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
 
In this shorter form, Abraham is put to the test. He is to offer his son Isaac as a holocaust – an offering completely burnt on the altar. Abraham, though reluctant, is faithful to God and follows his instructions. At the last moment, when God is sure that Abraham has greater love for God than even for his beloved son Isaac, he stops Abraham and “blesses him abundantly,” making him the father of nations.
 
CCC: Gn 22:1-18 1819; Gn 22:8 2572; Gn 22:11 332; Gn 22:17-19 706
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
 
R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
 
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
 
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
 
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
 
Psalm 16 is song of thanksgiving and praise, in this instance for the presence of the Lord and his saving power.  It refers to the end times as well: “because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.” The intention of this selection is to remind us that there is a resurrection of the dead, and that we should take heart in God who makes this promise.
 
CCC: Ps 16:9-10 627
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Reading III: Exodus 14:15—15:1
 
The LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the Israelites to go forward.
And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,
split the sea in two,
that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers."
 
The angel of God, who had been leading Israel's camp,
now moved and went around behind them.
The column of cloud also, leaving the front,
took up its place behind them,
so that it came between the camp of the Egyptians
and that of Israel.
But the cloud now became dark, and thus the night passed
without the rival camps coming any closer together
all night long.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
 
The Egyptians followed in pursuit;
all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.
 
Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers."
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water flowed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh's whole army
which had followed the Israelites into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the Israelites had marched on dry land
through the midst of the sea,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.
 
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
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Commentary on Ex 14:15—15:1
 
This selection of Exodus is the crossing of the Red (Reed) Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian army following them. While this event is at the beginning of the Exodus story, it is the most spectacular intervention by God in their journey and, coupled with the striking of the firstborn of Egypt, the most forceful act, freeing the Hebrews from further retribution and harassment on the part of pharaoh and the Egyptians. The concluding canticle, "Song at the Sea" (15:1-26), is used frequently in Christian liturgy celebrating God’s salvation (see notes on Exodus 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18 below).
 
CCC: Ex 15:1 2810
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Responsorial Psalm: Exodus 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18 
 
R. (1b) Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
 
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
 
The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!
Pharaoh's chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
 
The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
 
You brought in the people you redeemed
and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, LORD, which your hands established.
The LORD shall reign forever and ever.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
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Commentary on Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18 
 
"The Song at the Sea, a victory chant commemorating Israel's deliverance and Egypt's destruction.  Even more, it is a hymn of praise to Yahweh, who is hailed as Savior (15:2), Warrior (15:3), Redeemer (15:13), and King (15:18).  The song adopts a dual perspective: the first part looks back on the Exodus event (15:1-12) and the second part looks forward to Israel's future occupation of Canaan (15:13-18).  A similar dual perspective shapes the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:1-43." [6] This hymn is another account of the saving event that ended the threat of the Egyptians. This canticle was frequently used in early Christian liturgy to celebrate God’s saving power.
 
CCC: Ex 15:1 2810
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Reading IV: Isaiah 54:5-14
 
The One who has become your husband is your Maker;
his name is the LORD of hosts;
your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
called God of all the earth.
The LORD calls you back,
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
a wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
but with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the LORD, your redeemer.
This is for me like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
should never again deluge the earth;
so I have sworn not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.
Though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be shaken,
my love shall never leave you
nor my covenant of peace be shaken,
says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
O afflicted one, storm-battered and unconsoled,
I lay your pavements in carnelians,
and your foundations in sapphires;
I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of carbuncles,
and all your walls of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
In justice shall you be established,
far from the fear of oppression,
where destruction cannot come near you.
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Commentary on Is 54:5-14
 
Isaiah portrays Jerusalem as the wife in relationship with God. The reference, relevant to the Hebrews, reflects upon the Babylonian exile (“For a brief moment I abandoned you …“) and the return from that exile.  The people, by returning to the land God gave them, are returning to God’s favor (“In justice shall you be established, far from the fear of oppression, where destruction cannot come near you “). This passage is understood by the Christian faithful to refer to the New Jerusalem, Zion, the Church, and God’s heavenly kingdom. In this oracle the prophet speaks of the everlasting covenant that would be established in the Messiah.
 
CCC: Is 54 1611; Is 54:8 220; Is 54:10 220
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13  
 
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
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Commentary on Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13  
 
Psalm 30 is an individual hymn of praise. In this selection we find the singer praising God for deliverance. In the second part, others are asked to join in the hymn and then there is a return to thanks and praise in the final strophe. The image of resurrection is clearly evident in the first strophe: “O Lord, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
 
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Reading V: Isaiah 55:1-11
 
Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread,
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.
As I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of nations,
so shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and nations that knew you not shall run to you,
because of the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.
 
Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked man his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.
 
For just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
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Commentary on Is 55:1-11
 
In this selection from Isaiah the prophet paints a picture of the salvific power of the Messiah to come. He tells the poor and downtrodden that faith in God’s saving grace shall bring them the reward of their faith. We also hear how God’s salvation is given to all peoples. We recall, as the prophet reminds us, that salvation flows from his promise to extend David’s line; that the Messiah comes from that lineage in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.
 
CCC: Is 55:1 694, 2121; Is 55:3 762
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Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
 
R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
 
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
 
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
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Commentary on Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
 
This hymn of praise is a profession of faith: “My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.” It is also interesting in that it challenges those who profess their faith in the Lord to proclaim it in the world: “among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

This canticle emphasizes the peace and confidence found in his servant, enjoying the salvation of God. He sings his praise to God and exhorts all of Israel to praise him as they see his constant presence among them in the blessings they receive.
 
CCC: Is 12:3 2561
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Reading VI: Baruch 3:9-15, 32
 
Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life:
listen, and know prudence!
How is it, Israel,
that you are in the land of your foes,
grown old in a foreign land,
defiled with the dead,
accounted with those destined for the netherworld?
You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom!
Had you walked in the way of God,
you would have dwelt in enduring peace.
Learn where prudence is,
where strength, where understanding;
that you may know also
where are length of days, and life,
where light of the eyes, and peace.
Who has found the place of wisdom,
who has entered into her treasuries?
 
The One who knows all things knows her;
he has probed her by his knowledge
The One who established the earth for all time,
and filled it with four-footed beasts;
he who dismisses the light, and it departs,
calls it, and it obeys him trembling;
before whom the stars at their posts
shine and rejoice;
when he calls them, they answer, "Here we are!"
shining with joy for their Maker.
Such is our God;
no other is to be compared to him:
He has traced out the whole way of understanding,
and has given her to Jacob, his servant,
to Israel, his beloved son.
 
Since then she has appeared on earth,
and moved among people.
She is the book of the precepts of God,
the law that endures forever;
all who cling to her will live,
but those will die who forsake her.
Turn, O Jacob, and receive her:
walk by her light toward splendor.
Give not your glory to another,
your privileges to an alien race.
Blessed are we, O Israel;
for what pleases God is known to us!
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Commentary on Bar 3:9-15, 32
 
Baruch, the secretary of Jeremiah, composed this poem in praise of the Law of Moses. The poem rejoices in the saving power of God for those who are faithful using wisdom-like references to speak of divine intervention.  "This section is a consideration and eulogy of the divine attribute of true wisdom; at the same time, it is an exhortation addressed to Israel ("Listen, Israel": 3:9). This passage from Baruch is similar in style to many of the wisdom writings in the Old Testament. True wisdom was given to Israel, who forsook it (3:9-14). The pagan nations look for wisdom where there is none, wisdom in solely human terms: they believe that it is to be found in worldly power and wealth, and in control over natural resources and animals (3:15-31); they fail to seek the wisdom that comes from God (3:32-36; cf. Job 28:12-28Sirach 1:1-10Wisdom 7:7-14). The Lord revealed his wisdom to Israel in the law; they should consider themselves blessed for having been chosen to receive the commandments of the Lord (3:37-4:4)." [7]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
 
R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
 
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
 
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
 
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
 
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
 
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage, we give praise for God’s gift of the law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn extols the virtues of obedience and steadfastness to the law and its precepts. The passage also reflects the idea that following God’s statutes leads to peace and prosperity.
 
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Reading VII: Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28
 
The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land,
they defiled it by their conduct and deeds.
Therefore I poured out my fury upon them
because of the blood that they poured out on the ground,
and because they defiled it with idols.
I scattered them among the nations,
dispersing them over foreign lands;
according to their conduct and deeds I judged them.
But when they came among the nations wherever they came,
they served to profane my holy name,
because it was said of them: "These are the people of the LORD,
yet they had to leave their land."
So I have relented because of my holy name
which the house of Israel profaned
among the nations where they came.
Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD:
Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel,
but for the sake of my holy name,
which you profaned among the nations to which you came.
I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations,
in whose midst you have profaned it.
Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD,
when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.
For I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your fathers;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
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Commentary on Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28
 
Contained within this selection from Ezekiel is one of the earliest and most complete descriptions of the theology of baptism (Ezekiel 36:24-28). We see the Lord’s great love for the people manifest in first purifying them (“I will sprinkle clean water upon you…”) and then giving them a conversion of heart and the gift of the Holy Spirit (“I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you…”). Implicit in this passage is the divine adoption that takes place in baptism.  God claims his sons and daughters as his own possession, his children, and provides an inheritance, the heavenly kingdom, eternal salvation.
 
CCC: Ez 36 64, 2811; Ez 36:20-22 2814; Ez 36:20-21 2812; Ez 36:25-28 715; Ez 36:25-27 1287; Ez 36:26-27 1432; Ez 36:26 368
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Responsorial Psalm
 
When baptism is celebrated: Psalm 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4
 
R. (42:2) Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
 
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
 
I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
 
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
 
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
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Commentary on Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4
 
The water theme in this song of thanksgiving reminds us of the life-giving bath that is baptism. Those receiving the sacrament will be moved by the obvious invitation to join with God fully in this adoption into God's family, sharing in his heavenly kingdom.
 
CCC: Ps 42:3 2112
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When baptism is not celebrated:  Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
 
R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
 
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
 
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
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Commentary on Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
 
This hymn of praise is a profession of faith: “My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.” It is also interesting in that it challenges those who profess their faith in the Lord to proclaim it in the world: “among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

This canticle emphasizes the peace and confidence found in his servant, enjoying the salvation of God. He sings his praise to God and exhorts all of Israel to praise him as they see his constant presence among them in the blessings they receive.
 
CCC: Is 12:3 2561
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Or-
When baptism is not celebrated:  Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
 
R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
 
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
 
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
 
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a holocaust, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
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Commentary on Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
 
Psalm 51 is the fourth and most famous of the penitential psalms. The psalmist sings, in these verses, that only God can reverse the awful effects of sin. Through this action, taken by the Holy Spirit, God’s salvation is made manifest in the repentant and contrite heart. We are also reminded of baptism, and the purifying effect of that bath.
 
CCC: Ps 51:12 298, 431; Ps 51:19 1428, 2100
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Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
 
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
 
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
As to his death, he died to sin once and for all;
as to his life, he lives for God.
Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin
and living for God in Christ Jesus.
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Commentary on Rom 6:3-11
 
This reading from Romans reminds the Christian that all who have been joined to Christ in baptism are also joined to his death. Without the inevitable death of the body there is no resurrection. St. Paul teaches that, since Christ came to insure his followers could be absolved from sin, the great promise is that those baptized in the faith will rise with him, free from all sin.

"In all those who have been baptized these same events in Christ's life are in some way reproduced. ‘Our past sins have been wiped out by the action of grace. Now, so as to stay dead to sin after Baptism, personal effort is called for, although God's grace continues to be with us, providing us with great help’ (Chrysostom, "Hom. on Rom.", 11). This personal effort might be encapsulated in a resolution: ‘May we never die through sin; may our spiritual resurrection be eternal’ (St. J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", 1st Glorious Mystery)." [8]
 
CCC: Rom 6:3-9 1006; Rom 6:3-4 1214, 1227, 1987; Rom 6:4-5 790; Rom 6:4 537, 628, 648, 654, 658, 730, 977, 1697; Rom 6:5 1694, 2565; Rom 6:8-11 1987; Rom 6:10 1085; Rom 6:11 1694
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 
 
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
 
The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
 
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 
 
Psalm 118 is in regular use during the Easter season. It is a liturgical song of praise and victory. The messianic imagery is so strong that it has been used for the past three days, reflecting the joy of the Church in the Eastertide. This litany of thanksgiving features the cornerstone image that, in addition to Acts 10:34a, 37-43 (Easter Sunday), was also used in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 12:10) and the first epistle of St. Peter (1 Peter 2:7) (there are nine other Scripture references not listed here).
 
CCC: Ps 118:22 587, 756
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Gospel: Mark 16:1-7  
 
When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?"
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
'He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.'"
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Commentary on Mk 16:1-7
 
This reading from St. Mark’s Gospel is called the shorter ending. “The purpose of this narrative is to show that the tomb is empty and that Jesus has been raised and is going before you to Galilee in fulfillment of Mark 14:28. The women find the tomb empty, and an angel stationed there announces to them what has happened. They are told to proclaim the news to Peter and the disciples in order to prepare them for a reunion with him.”[9] 

"'He has risen': the glorious resurrection of Jesus is the central mystery of our faith. 'If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain' (1 Corinthians 15:14). It is also the basis of our hope: 'if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. . . . If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied' (Corinthians 15:17; 19). The Resurrection means that Jesus has overcome death, sin, pain and the power of the devil. The Redemption which our Lord carried out through his death and resurrection is applied to the believer by means of the sacraments, especially by Baptism and the Eucharist: 'We were buried with him by baptism and death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we might walk in newness of life' (Romans 6:4). 'He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day' (John 6:54). The resurrection of Christ is also the role of our new life: 'If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth' Colossians 3:1-2). Rising with Christ through grace means that 'just as Jesus Christ through his resurrection began a new immortal and heavenly life, so we must begin a new life according to the Spirit, once and for all renouncing sin and everything that leads us to sin, loving only God and everything that leads to God (St Pius X, "Catechism", 77).'" [10]
 
CCC: Mk 16:1 641, 2174; Mk 16:2 2174; Mk 16:5-7 333; Mk 16:7 652
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Reflection:
 
There is a fragment of text from an anonymous homily written in the fourth century that describes the mood of our past day’s waiting:
 
“Something strange is happening-there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and …stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
 
"He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives, Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory.”
 
It is from this great stillness, with all the angels and saints, that we now rejoice, for our Savior has risen from the dead and with him he has opened the gates of life to all people of all nations.  The great promise of his life has been fulfilled.  He has become, once more, what he was from the beginning of time, leaving with us the Holy Spirit as helper and guide.
 
This night the new light shines once more from the Easter Candle.  This night those called to the baptismal bath are washed clean and join the whole of Christendom in welcoming the risen Lord who is the author of their blessing and salvation.
 
This night we recall all those who have gone before us in faith for they have accepted the great gift offered by Christ.  As we recall those who have died in Christ we are filled with hope for, as the empty tomb attests, he has gone to prepare a place for us in the New Jerusalem.
 
In jubilation the whole Church shouts out “Exult, let them exult the hosts of heaven.”  The great king has passed through death and now returns to us as the risen Christ – the Messiah who fulfills all that was spoken of in the books of prophets.  He returns to us who fulfilled the law, writing it anew on our hearts – his great law of love.  And we saw how that law must be lived as he gave himself for us and now defeats death itself.
 
Tonight the Church sings the great song of triumph as Christ who is risen shines forth in the darkness and casts aside all fear. 
 
Rejoice – He is Risen!

[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used is “The Two Marys at the Tomb”, Bartolomeo Schedoni, 1613.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] NAB footnote on Genesis 22:2
[6] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Exodus © 2012, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 36.
[7] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp. 566-67.
[8] The Navarre Bible: “Letters of St. Paul”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 93.
[9] NAB footnote on Mk 16:1-8.
[10] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp.321-22.

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