First Reading: Ex 14:15–15:1
Psalm: Ps 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 AND 22
(5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord..
Second Reading: Rom 6:3-11
Gospel: Lk 24:1-12
Sat: Holy Saturday
Readings for the Easter Vigil, which is an Easter Sunday Mass: Gn 1: 1 -- 2: 2 or 1: 1.26-31a/ Ps 104: 1-2. 5-6. 10. 12. 13-14. 24. 35 or Ps 33: 4-5. 6-7. 12-13. 20-22/ Gn 22: 1-18 or22: 1-2. 9a. 10-13. 15-18/ Ps 16: 5. 8. 9-10. 11/ Ex 14: 15 -- 15: 1/ Ex 15: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 17-18/Is 54: 5-14/ Ps 30: 2. 4. 5-6. 11-12. 13/ Is 55: 1-11/ Is 12: 2-3. 4. 5-6/ Bar 3: 9-15. 32 -- 4: 4/ Ps19: 8. 9. 10. 11/ Ez 36: 16-17a. 18-28/ Ps 42: 3. 5; 43: 3. 4 or Is 12: 2-3. 4bcd. 5-6 or Ps 51:12-13. 14-15. 18-19/ Rom 6: 3-11/ Ps 118: 1-2. 16-17. 22-23/ Lk 24: 1-12
1st Reading: Gen 1:1–2:2 (or 1:1, 26-31a)
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35
2nd Reading: Gen 22:1-18 (or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18)
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
3rd Reading: Ex 14:15–15:1
Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18
4th Reading: Is 54:5-14
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
5th Reading: Is 55:1-11
Gospel: Is 12:2–3, 4, 5-6
6th Reading: Bar 3:9-15, 32–4:4
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
7th Reading: Ezk 36:16-17a, 18-28
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4
8th Reading: Rom 6:3-11
Don’t you know, that in baptism, which unites us to Christ, we are all baptized and plunged into his death? By this baptism in his death, we were buried with Christ and, as Christ was raised from among the dead by the glory of the Father, we begin walking in a new life. If we have been joined to him by dying a death like his, so shall we be, by a resurrection like his.
We know, that our old self was crucified with Christ, so as to destroy what of us was sin, so that, we may no longer serve sin—if we are dead, we are no longer in debt to sin. But, if we have died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know, that Christ, once risen from the dead, will not die again, and death has no more dominion over him. For, by dying, he is dead to sin, once and for all, and, now, the life that he lives, is life with God.
So you, too, must consider yourselves dead to sin, and alive to God, in Christ Jesus.
Gospel: Lk 24:1-12
On the Sabbath the women rested according to the commandment, but the first day of the week, at dawn, the women went to the tomb with the perfumes and ointments they had prepared. Seeing the stone rolled away from the opening of the tomb, they entered, and were amazed to find that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there.
As they stood there wondering about this, two men in dazzling garments suddenly stood before them. In fright the women bowed to the ground. But the men said, “Why look for the living among the dead? You won’t find him here. He is risen. Remember what he told you in Galilee, that the Son of Man had to be given into the hands of sinners, to be crucified, and to rise on the third day.” And they remembered Jesus’ words.
Returning from the tomb, they told the Eleven and all the others about these things. Among the women, who brought the news, were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. But however much they insisted, those who heard did not believe the seemingly nonsensical story. Then Peter got up and ran to the tomb. All he saw, when he bent down and looked into the tomb, were the linen cloths, laid by themselves. He went home wondering.
Reflection:
Descent into Hell
Where did Jesus rise from? From the cross? From the tomb? From the dead? Or from still somewhere unbelievably lower, deeper, darker? Yes, indeed. He just didn't stop with dying. He descended. Into Hell. So says the Creed. He descended to the godless, to share in their godlessness as one among them, as theologian Balthasar commented. The Resurrection does not begin where Good Friday ended; It begins from where Holy Saturday took him—the Hell. God’s kenosis (=self-emptying) goes far deeper than the cross and the tomb, all the way to the farthest depths. Easter begins from the darkest, farthest, lowest point of human tragedies. This gives us hope! For, as Easter icons of the East show, Christ is never risen alone: He carries a bunch of souls—the entire humanity—with him. May Christ help us easter from our hellish depths!