Black Saturday
1st READING
These texts from the Old Testament invite us to journey in faith beginning with Creation up to the time of the prophets. We see a theo-drama unfolding before us that situates humanity within the context of God’s plan. He asks us, “What is your response to all of this?” We are invited to experience God’s mission of salvation — to choose and form a people to receive the revelation of His love.
Ezekiel 36:16-17, 18-28 (or Genesis 1:1-2:2)
16 The word of the Lord came to me, saying: 17 Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their conduct and deeds. 18 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. 19 I scattered them among the nations, dispersing them over foreign lands; according to their conduct and deeds I judged them. 20 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.” 21 So I have relented because of my holy name which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they came. 22 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. 23 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. 24 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. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 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. 27 I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. 28 You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
2nd READING
The proper and faith-filled celebration of baptism captures the drama of salvation. A person who is immersed in water during the rite symbolizes his immersion into the death of Christ and then his rising to a new life (emerging from the water). May we be aware of this dynamic at work as we undergo a deeper conversion each day.
Romans 6:3-11
3 Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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. 5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. 6 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. 7 For a dead person has been absolved from sin. 8 If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. 10 As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. 11 Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.
PSALM
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
R: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 The right hand of the Lord has struck with power; the right hand of the Lord is exalted.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R)
GOSPEL
The tomb is empty — Jesus is risen! What does this mean? The empty tomb is where the original version of Mark ends. Maybe he wants the reader to make their own ending to the story and re ect on how they encountered Jesus. May we realize that Jesus is truly risen and to answer His call for us to be His disciples.
Mark 16:1-7
1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. 2 Very early when the sun had risen, on the rst day of the week, they came to the tomb. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. 5 On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. 6 He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the cruci ed. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’”
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