Holy Saturday

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Holy Saturday

• Spirit of waiting and repose
• Concept of waiting

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Holy Saturday History

• Early cent. Rome special attention to
  Catechumens
• Reform of Holy Week restored to authentic
  meaning

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Holy Saturday Office

• Psalms in Office of Readings indicative of
  victory despite suffering
• 1st reading of Office of Readings bids us to rest

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Easter Vigil
Alleluia
Alleluia
Alleluia
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Outline

• Introduction
• History of Celebrations
• Significance of Liturgies (Service of
  Light)
• The Readings
• The Eucharist
• In my own words

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summit
Liturgical Year
Easter Triduum
summit
Easter Triduum
Easter Vigil
Easter Vigil
Most Solemn of all!
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The Liturgies

• Service of Light
• Blessing of New Fire
• Blessing and Lighting of Paschal Candle
• Procession
• Easter Proclamation (Exsultet)

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The Liturgies

• Liturgy of the Word
• Up to seven Old Testament Readings
• Gloria
• Prayer
• Epistle
• Gospel
• Liturgy of Baptism
• Liturgy of the Eucharist

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History Feast of Easter

• Rome no special feast before 2nd half of 2nd
  cent.
• Elsewhere celebration began in early 2nd cent.
  (Eusebius of Caesarea)
• Paschal mystery celebrated every Sunday
• Pope Victor I Easter on Sunday after 14th day of
  month Nisan

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History Relation to Passover

• Jewish Passover Feast is the origin
• Similarity theology of expectation, idea of
  passage
• Jewish thought celebration of present reality
• Differences domestic celebration vs. community
  celebration
• Christian feast a goal reached

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History Fire Candle

• Rome celebration flooded with light
• Blessing of Fire no official formulary
  (Pontifical) till 12th cent.
• Blessing of Candle practised since 5th cent. But
  missing from papal liturgy until 11th cent.

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History The Readings

• Various Rites various choices, number
• Jerusalem Liturgy has 12 lessons
• Oldest known
• Influenced other Rites
• System of Roman Rite not historically clear

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History Baptism

• Tertullian (200 AD) first evidence of Easter
  Baptism
• St. Hippolytus evidence of Baptism during a
  vigil, but Paschal???
• 4th cent. Rome Easter and Pentecost are primary
  times later, Easter as premier moment

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History Eucharist

• Eucharist emerged on Sunday first, then annual
  observance of Easter surfaced
• Ultimate act of incorporation of new believers

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Significance The New Fire

• Effect of Redemption
• Fire as renewed creation, our servant
• New beginning in our lives

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Significance The New Light

• Also a renewed creature,
• symbolising glory
• Cross gives meaning
• Christ as Lord of the Universe
• Incensum misinterpreted

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Significance The Procession

• Lighted candle is Christ
• Moment of Joy
• His Servant will be light for the nation
• -- (Is 426)
• We choose to be children of light

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Significance The Exsultet

• Prologue joy of Christs victory over darkness
• History of Salvation
• Praises God for his Son
• O Happy Fault
• Candle as Churchs offering

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Readings Introduction

• Christ present among us in his Word
  (Sacrosanctum Concilium 7)
• Final instructions to Catechumens
• Presence of Christ teaching us
• Old Testament read in the light of Christ

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1st Reading Creation Story

• Gen 11 22
• Two creations one as reported, the other in the
  light of Christ
• Christs task to restore ruined world

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2nd Reading Sacrifice of the only son

• Gen 221 18
• Isaac prefigures Christ
• Unconditional faith in the Lord
• Responsorial Psalm as prophecy of resurrection
  (Ps 16)

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3rd Reading Exodus

• Ex 1415 151
• Baptism as exodus from death and slavery
• Faith leads to freedom and dignity
• After the crossing, the people gathered to listen
  we too, listen to Christ

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4th Reading Church as Bride City

• Is 545 14
• Gods image as compassionate and loving husband
• Guarantee of unending love and everlasting
  covenant
• Building the Church as sacrament and sign of
  salvation

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5th Reading Life

• Is 551 11
• Life offered as food and water
• Life offered as the Word
• The Word converts, and the food and water
  nourishes

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6th Reading Wisdom

• Baruch 39 15,32 44
• God gives Wisdom as guide and law
• John identifies Wisdom with Christ
• At Gods side from the beginning
• Manifestation of Gods glory
• Illumines our paths
• Comes down from heaven and dwells among us

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Wisdom
Christ
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7th Reading A new heart and spirit

• Ezechiel 3616 28
• Gathers all from all nations and lands
• Puts his own Spirit in them
• You shall be my people and I will be your God

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Summary
Through our Baptism, we are made into a new
creation. Christ had to be sacrificed and to
suffer his Passion in order to free us from
death and the slavery of sin, washing us clean in
the waters of Baptism. Because of his love and
everlasting covenant, he builds up the Church,
which is sustained by the Eucharist and the Word.
In order to guide our ways, he gives the Spirit
of Christ, putting in us a new heart and a new
spirit, united under Gods love.
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Epistle Alive for God

• Romans 63 11
• three time zones baptism (past), parousia
  (future),ethical action (present)
• Paradox removal of sin, and sinning
• Saved according to ways in which we apply the
  means of salvation

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Gospel Christ is risen!

• Resurrection not the final moment
• Act in faith and be vigilant
• Conform our lives to that of the risen
  Christ

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The Eucharist

• Climax of the Vigil service
• Constantly effecting the Churchs passage to
  definitive life
• Eucharist presupposes the resurrection

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In my own words