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
 |
| “Holy Women at Christ' s Tomb” by Annibale Carracci, 1590s |
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 7:2, 2 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 man 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Genesis 1:1, 26-31a
This shorter version of the first
creation account from Genesis omits how God creates the universe and the earth.
It begins with the creation of all living things and concludes with the
creation of man. 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 1:2-3 292; 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35
Psalm 104 is a song of
thanksgiving celebrating the creation event. A constant theme through the
psalms is thanks for the gift of God's creation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
CCC: Ps 33:6 292,
703
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 even greater love for God than 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 3:17, Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, Colossians 1:13).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 his beloved son Isaac, he stops Abraham and
“blesses him abundantly,” making him the father of nations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
Psalm 16 is song of thanksgiving
and praise, in this instance for 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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
from the power of the
Egyptians.
When Israel
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 of the 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18
"The Song at the Sea, a
victory chant commemorating Israels'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 canticle was frequently used in
early Christian liturgy to celebrate God’s saving power.
CCC: Ex 15:1 2810
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 down-trodden 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 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 also does something 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Bar 3:9-15, 32
Baruch, the
secretary of Jeremiah, composes 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Psalm 19 is a
hymn of praise. In this passage, we give praise to God’s gift of the Law which
guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtue 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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
among the nations where they
came.
Therefore say to the house of
Israel
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 (Ez 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 (“I will give you a new heart and
place a new spirit within you…”).
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 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 also does something 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
"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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 9 other scripture references not listed here).
CCC: Ps 118:22 587,
756
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 24:1-12
At daybreak on the first day
of the week
the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus
took the spices they had
prepared
and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled
away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not find the body of
the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over
this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments
appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed
their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
“Why do you seek the living
one among the dead?
He is not here, but he has
been raised.
Remember what he said to you
while he was still in Galilee ,
that the Son of Man must be
handed over to sinners
and be crucified, and rise on
the third day.”
And they remembered his
words.
Then they returned from the
tomb
and announced all these
things to the eleven
and to all the others.
The women were Mary
Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James;
the others who accompanied
them also told this to the apostles,
but their story seemed like
nonsense
and they did not believe
them.
But Peter got up and ran to
the tomb,
bent down, and saw the burial
cloths alone;
then he went home amazed at
what had happened.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 24:1-12
This is the first of five parts of the resurrection story taking place nearly simultaneously in St. Luke’s Gospel. Joanna, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James arrive at the tomb to find it empty and encounter two angels. The announcement of the resurrection comes in the form of a question: “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.” The great promise has been fulfilled. Luke says that, when these holy women related the events, there was disbelief. Only Peter believed them and ran to the tomb. We are not told that he understood (as John's Gospel relates about the Evangelist, himself cf John 20:1-8), rather that Peter was amazed at what had happened.
This is the first of five parts of the resurrection story taking place nearly simultaneously in St. Luke’s Gospel. Joanna, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James arrive at the tomb to find it empty and encounter two angels. The announcement of the resurrection comes in the form of a question: “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.” The great promise has been fulfilled. Luke says that, when these holy women related the events, there was disbelief. Only Peter believed them and ran to the tomb. We are not told that he understood (as John's Gospel relates about the Evangelist, himself cf John 20:1-8), rather that Peter was amazed at what had happened.
CCC: Lk 24:1 641,
2174; Lk 24:3 640;
Lk 24:5-6 626,
640; Lk 24:6-7 652;
Lk 24:9-10 641;
Lk 24:11 643;
Lk 24:12 640
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
Before I begin my homiletic
remarks I would like to extend a warm welcome to any visitors or guests. When we celebrate the sacraments of
initiation on this, the holiest of all nights in the Church year, there are
often visitors for whom this is the first time they have attended a Catholic
Church. If there any “first timers”
present, I would like to assure you that this celebration is not typical. First, we start off with the Church being lit
as it is now. I’m sure some of you may
have wondered at the beginning if we had paid our electric bill. Also, the celebrations are not quite this
long or complex.
Actually, tonight’s events
are the third part of a celebration we call the Triduum that began on Holy
Thursday with the Feast of the Lord’s Supper.
We recalled how Christ left us the perpetual gift of his Body and Blood,
recreated in the Eucharist (or communion).
The worship continued yesterday, as at our Good Friday service we once
again proclaimed the Lord’s passion and death.
We reverenced the Cross upon which some thought Jesus defeated, the Cross
that became the Lord’s weapon, with which he defeated death itself.
The Candidates and
Catechumens who experienced the first two parts of this drama of faith look on
with us tonight in expectation. Theirs
has been a long journey that began the day they were born, and has become much
more focused since September when they began their discernment and preparation
for tonight’s great feast. While they
have rehearsed their parts in this celebration, they cannot imagine the outpouring
of God’s love and grace they will receive at the saving hands of our risen
Savior.
Three days in the prison of
the tomb has ended. We wake in the new
light of the Easter Candle, as if from a bad dream. The passion of our Lord was an abject
demonstration of how much pain and suffering can be inflicted by those who fear
what God can accomplish in the world.
And tonight, our fears are vanquished, the new light has been lit, the
Lord is risen, and once more the bells of the Gloria have been rung.
Our celebration on this night
is embellished as the high points of God’s plan have been laid out for us in
sacred scripture. From the very dawn of
creation, described in Genesis, the first revelation of God’s love for
humankind is revealed in the very act of creation. It was shortly after the creation event that
sin entered the world, and with it death as Adam and Eve were tempted and
failed, disobeying their creator.
Through all the generations
that followed, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God shows his affection for
his chosen people, using holy men and women to show the people who believed in
him the way to salvation. Constantly,
throughout history, we have failed him.
The brothers of Joseph, out of envy led the people to Egypt
Even as Moses led them out of
Egypt in the Exodus, the effects of sin were shown time and again as the
Hebrews, God’s chosen people, quickly forgot God’s love and mercy. They
demanded greater comfort and more food; they preferred the irresponsibility of
slavery to the freedom God offered. The
stain of Adam’s sin remained and spread.
We have heard how the people
finally claimed the land they were promised and how all God promised was
finally consolidated under King David.
But this was not to last. Earthly
kingdoms are subject to earthly rulers, and even King David suffered the taint
of Original Sin. But there was
hope. Hope for a Messiah, one who would
come, anointed by God to bring an end to death’s conquering power.
It seemed strange to hear
this promised savior described. While he
came with God’s power, he was humble, born of a virgin in a manger, not in a
palace as the prince – a future king.
But his kingdom would not be of this world. His kingship would, however, profoundly
affect it.
Scripture tells the story of
his rise to prominence through signs and wonders. As the prophets foretold, he came, healing
the sick and with hope for the hopeless.
Who would think that one who had brought such joy to the afflicted would
cause such fear in the powerful and the mighty?
But they were afraid, and in their fear they struck out and killed the
prince of peace.
Even though it was over two
thousand years ago, we still felt that loss as we kissed the cross on Good
Friday. We still felt the blows and
pictured the blood flowing from his wounds as his lifeless body hung upon the
cross. We felt defeat in that time. But the passion and death of our Savior was
so necessary. Even as we mourned the
death of the man, the Son of God descended to Hell and found the first Eve and
brought her and all those who had died in sin out of the grip of death.
Tonight we rejoice because
the Lord is risen as he promised. Sin
and death are defeated. Our Savior and
King has come back to us and God’s plan is fulfilled once more. Light has returned to a world gone dark, and
we praise the risen Lord for his great love.
It was in love that he came, in love that he walked among us as man, and
now it is in love for us he rises so that we might have life in him.
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
[3]
The picture used is “Holy Women at Christ' s Tomb” by Annibale Carracci, 1590s
[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
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5]
See NAB footnote on Genesis 22: 2
[6]
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Exodus © 2012, Ignatius Press, San Francisco,
CA. pp. 36
No comments:
Post a Comment