Catechism Links[1]
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| “The Two Marys at the Tomb” by Bartolomeo Schedoni, 1613 |
Readings and Commentary:[4]
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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 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
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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 1:2-3 292; 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
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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."
----------------------------------------------------------------
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 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."
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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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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.
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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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).
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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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"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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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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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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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.
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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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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!
----------------------------------------------------------------
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. "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 28:12-28; Sirach 1:1-10; Wisdom 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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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Or-
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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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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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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).
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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.'"
----------------------------------------------------------------
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' (1 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]
----------------------------------------------------------------
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” by Bartolomeo Schedoni, 1613
[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. p. 36
[7] The Navarre
Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp.566-567
[8] The Navarre
Bible: “Letters of St. Paul”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 93
[9] See NAB footnote on Mk
16:1-8
[10] The Navarre Bible,
“Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp.321-322
