Holy Saturday
Isaiah, Chapter 12, Verse 2-4
2God indeed is
my salvation; I am confident and UNAFRAID.
For the LORD is my strength and my might, and he has been my salvation. 3With joy you will draw water
from the fountains of salvation, 4And you will say on that day: give thanks to the LORD,
acclaim his name; Among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted
is his name.
Indeed, the birth of Christ is the beginning of the salvation of his people, when on Christmas morning the virgin gave him birth and he is born the angels proclaim His victory over death. Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
He has torn down the barricades of hell and overthrown
the power of Satan. Today our Savior has shattered the bars and burst the gates
of death.
Holy Saturday[1]
Holy Saturday (from Sabbatum Sanctum, its official liturgical name) is
sacred as the day of the Lord's rest; it has been called the "Second
Sabbath" after creation. The day is and should be the most calm and quiet
day of the entire Church year, a day broken by no liturgical function. Christ
lies in the grave; the Church sits near and mourns. After the great battle He
is resting in peace, but upon Him we see the scars of intense suffering...The
mortal wounds on His Body remain visible...Jesus' enemies are still furious,
attempting to obliterate the very memory of the Lord by lies and slander.
Mary and the disciples are
grief-stricken, while the Church must mournfully admit that too many of her
children return home from Calvary cold and hard of heart. When Mother Church
reflects upon all of this, it seems as if the wounds of her dearly Beloved were
again beginning to bleed.
According to tradition, the entire
body of the Church is represented in Mary: she is the "credentium
collectio universa" (Congregation for Divine Worship, Lettera circolare sulla
preparazione e celebrazione delle feste pasquali, 73). Thus, the Blessed Virgin Mary,
as she waits near the Lord's tomb, as she is represented in Christian
tradition, is an icon of the Virgin Church keeping vigil at the tomb of her
Spouse while awaiting the celebration of his resurrection.
The pious exercise of the Ora
di Maria is inspired by this intuition of the relationship between
the Virgin Mary and the Church: while the body of her Son lays in the tomb and
his soul has descended to the dead to announce liberation from the shadow of
darkness to his ancestors, the Blessed Virgin Mary, foreshadowing and
representing the Church, awaits, in faith, the victorious triumph of her Son
over death. — Directory on Popular Piety and
the Liturgy
Although we are still in mourning,
there is much preparation during this day to prepare for Easter. Out of the
kitchen comes the smells of Easter pastries and bread, the lamb or hams and of
course, the Easter eggs.
There are no liturgies celebrated this
day, unless the local parish priest blesses the food baskets. In Slavic
countries there is a blessing of the traditional Easter foods, prepared in
baskets: eggs, ham, lamb and sausages, butter and cheeses, horseradish and salt
and the Easter breads. The Easter blessings of food owe their origin to the
fact that these particular foods, namely, fleshmeat and milk products,
including eggs, were forbidden in the Middle Ages during the Lenten fast and
abstinence. When the feast of Easter brought the rigorous fast to an end, and
these foods were again allowed at table, the people showed their joy and
gratitude by first taking the food to church for a blessing. Moreover, they
hoped that the Church's blessing on such edibles would prove a remedy for
whatever harmful effects the body might have suffered from the long period of
self-denial. Today the Easter blessings of food are still held in many churches
in the United States, especially in Slavic parishes.
If there is no blessing for the Easter
foods in the parish, the father of the family can pray the Blessing over
the Easter foods.
It is during the night between Holy
Saturday and Easter Sunday that the Easter Vigil is celebrated. The service
begins around ten o'clock, in order that the solemn vigil Mass may start at
midnight.
Activities
·
Today we remember Christ in the tomb. It is not
Easter yet, so it's not time for celebration. The day is usually spent working
on the final preparations for the biggest feast of the Church year. The list of
suggested activities is long, but highlights are decorating Easter eggs and
attending a special Easter food blessing.
·
For families with smaller children, you could
create a miniature Easter garden, with a tomb. The figure of the risen Christ
will be placed in the garden on Easter morning.
·
Another activity for families is creation of a
paschal candle to use at home.
·
The Directory on
Popular Piety discusses some of the various devotions related to
Easter, including the Blessing of the Family Table, Annual Blessing of Family
Home, the Via Lucis and the Visit to the Mother of the Risen Christ.
Holy Saturday Vigil [2] We should have during the morning and afternoon, a mournful remembrance of our Lord in the tomb.
Prayer. GOD! Who makest this most sacred
night illustrious by the glory of the resurrection of Our Lord, preserve in the
new offspring of Thy family the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given them;
that, being renewed in body and soul, they may serve Thee with purity of heart.
EPISTLE. Colons, iii. 1-4.
Brethren: If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, Who is your life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory.
GOSPEL. Matt, xxviii. 1-7.
In the end of the Sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulcher. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven: and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him the guards were struck with terror and became as dead men. And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you: for I know that you seek Jesus Who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye His disciples that He is risen and behold He will go before you into Galilee: there you shall see Him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.
Why is this day called Holy Saturday?
Because Jesus Christ, the Holy of holies, on this day rested in the grave, and because on this day the new fire and the baptismal water are blessed.
What is the new fire?
It is the fire caught from the sparks of a flint, and then blessed by the priest, from which afterwards the candles and lamps in the church are lighted.
Why is this done, and what does it signify?
The fire is first caught from a flint to indicate that Christ, the light of the world, though rejected by the Jews, is the real corner-stone, and, though seemingly extinguished in the grave, arose gloriously and sheds the beams of His blessed light on the world.
What is signified by the three candles, or triple candlestick?
The Most Holy Trinity, one in the divine nature, but three in person.
Why are all the candles of the church lighted from the triple candle?
To signify that all enlightening comes from the Most Holy Trinity.
What does the paschal or Easter candle signify?
It represents Jesus Christ, Who died, but rose again, and now lives forever, the light of the world, giving light to all, and delivering us from the darkness of sin. The wax signifies His body, the wick His soul, the light His divinity. The five holes in the Easter candle, in the form of a cross, represent the five holy wounds which Christ retains for our consolation. The five grains of incense inserted therein signify the spices used in embalming the corpse of Our Savior.
What is the signification of the ceremonies used in blessing the baptismal water?
They signify the different effects of Baptism.
Why does the priest pour out the baptismal water towards each of the four quarters of the globe?
To indicate that as the four streams went forth from paradise to water the earth, so also, according to the command of Christ, shall the stream of grace, through holy Baptism, flow to all parts of the world for the washing away of sin.
What does it mean when the priest breathes three times upon the water?
The breathing upon the water denotes the communication of the Holy Ghost.
What does it mean when the priest dips the Easter candle thrice into the baptismal water?
The immersion and withdrawal of the candle from the water denote that it is sanctified by Christ to be a means through which the baptized are drawn out of the abyss of sin.
What is the meaning of the mixing of the holy oils with the consecrated water?
The holy oils are mixed with
the consecrated water partly to indicate the union of Christ with His people,
and partly also to denote that the grace of the Holy Ghost, of which the holy
oil and chrism are figures, together with faith, hope, and charity, is infused
into the heart of the catechumen.
·
~No Christian should forget to-day to revisit
the holy sepulcher, to thank Jesus for His passion and death, and to venerate
the sorrowful Mother Mary.
Holy Water[3]
We begin in water; our human form in the amniotic
sac, “bag of waters”, in the womb. In the order of nature birth begins when a
mothers “water breaks.” So, with water we begin our visits to church and we dip
a hand into the holy water font and bless ourselves. When the world was lost to
sin and needed cleansing and rebirth, God sent a great flood, and from the
flood the family of Noah found new life. When Israel emerged from slavery as a
unified nation, it first had to pass through the waters of the Red Sea. Though
babies had always been born through “water,” now grown men and women could be
“born of water and the Holy Spirit.” The Church Fathers taught that Jesus, by
descending into the waters of the River Jordan, had sanctified the waters of
the world, He made them living and life-giving, He made them a source of
supernatural regeneration, refreshment and cleansing. St. Teresa of Avila wrote
that “there is nothing the devils flee from more—without returning—than holy
water.”
Priesthood[4]
In
the bible a priest is a father—and even more of a father than our own earthly
father. In the Old Testament the history of the priesthood had two periods: the
patriarchal and the Levitical. The patriarchal was based on the family order
that place authority down from father to first born son in the form of a
“blessing” and the leadership of the building of altars and for the presenting
of sacrifice for the family. Fathers are empowered as priests by nature.
Fatherhood is the original basis of priesthood. The firstborn is the father’s
heir apparent, the one groomed to succeed one day to paternal authority and
priesthood within the family. Imagine the blow to the Egyptian with the last
plague which killed the firstborn. The pattern continued into the Exodus. There
God declared to Moses, “Israel is my firstborn son”—that is, among the many
peoples of the earth, Israel was God’s heir and his priest. God in His mercy
made all heirs through Christ and with Christ came a restoration of the natural
priesthood of fathers and the establishment of a fatherly order of New Covenant
Priests. To Christ, we are “the children
God has given me”, the “Many sons”,
“his bretheren”, the new “seed of Abraham” who together form God’s
“family/household” which Jesus builds
and rules as a son. As all Christians are identified with Christ, the Church
becomes the “assembly of the firstborn.”
(Heb. 2, 3, 12) In the truest sense priests are so much more than managers,
they are fathers. True fatherhood involves the communication of life. Natural
fathers communicate human life but in the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist,
a priest communicates divine life and the divine humanity of Jesus Christ.
Every Priest therefore requires our respect in spite of their weaknesses or
sins and we should pray for them. This is why our Holy Father asks us to pray
for him.
Divine Mercy Novena[5]Day
2
Second Day - Today Bring Me the Souls of Priests and Religious.
Most
Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us,
that we may perform worthy works of mercy, and that all who see us may glorify
the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal
Father turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen souls] in Your
vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the
strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they
are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to
guide others in the way of salvation, and with one voice sing praise to Your
boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.
Novena for the Poor Souls[6]
O Mother most
merciful, pray for the souls in Purgatory!
PRAYER OF ST.
GERTRUDE THE GREAT O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of
Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world
today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere— for
sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and for those within
my family. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE
DYING O Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy
most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, to wash in
Thy Most Precious Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their
agony and who will die today. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the
dying! Amen.
ON EVERY DAY OF
THE NOVENA V. O Lord, hear my prayer, R. And let my cry come unto Thee. O God,
the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy
servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout
supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest
and reignest world without end. Amen.
SATURDAY O Lord
God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the
sacred side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the presence of and to the great sorrow
of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all,
especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may
come quickly into Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee,
through all the ages. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION ONE-PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER THREE-THE LIFE OF PRAYER
Article 1-EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER
I. Vocal
prayer
2700 Through his Word, God speaks to man. By words, mental or
vocal, our prayer takes flesh. Yet it is most important that the heart should
be present to him to whom we are speaking in prayer: "Whether or not our
prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our
souls."
2701 Vocal prayer is an essential element of the Christian
life. To his disciples, drawn by their Master's silent prayer, Jesus teaches a
vocal prayer, the Our Father. He not only prayed aloud the liturgical prayers
of the synagogue but, as the Gospels show, he raised his voice to express his
personal prayer, from exultant blessing of the Father to the agony of
Gesthemani.
2702 The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds
to a requirement of our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience
the need to translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole
being to give all power possible to our supplication.
2703 This need also corresponds to a divine requirement. God
seeks worshippers in Spirit and in Truth, and consequently living prayer that
rises from the depths of the soul. He also wants the external expression that
associates the body with interior prayer, for it renders him that perfect homage
which is his due.
2704 Because it is external and so thoroughly human, vocal
prayer is the form of prayer most readily accessible to groups. Even interior
prayer, however, cannot neglect vocal prayer. Prayer is internalized to the
extent that we become aware of him "to whom we speak;" Thus
vocal prayer becomes an initial form of contemplative prayer.
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The
Last Things[7]
The last things are death, judgment, heaven and hell.
Death is the separation of
man's mortal body and immortal soul. It comes to all men as a result of
original sin. It is a temporary state, for at the end of the world, all men
shall rise again to be judged by Christ. Thus the whole man, body and soul,
will be rewarded for the good or evil that he has done, body and soul, in this
life.
At the moment of death, each human
person is judged by God based on his conduct in this life, and goes
immediately to his reward or punishment. Moreover, at the end of the world,
Jesus Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. At that
time, God's whole plan for the world shall be revealed, and his mercy and
justice demonstrated.
Heaven is the eternal state of
perfect happiness resulting from the face to face vision of God, which is the
reward of those who have served Him in this life.
Hell is the eternal state of
torment and despair which awaits those who, in this life, have freely rejected
God and the happiness which He offers.
Before the end of the world, there
will be an intermediate state called purgatory. There, those who are
bound for heaven, but whose love for God is still marred by some imperfection,
undergo a temporary period of purifying suffering. When this purification is
complete, they are fit to enter God's presence and are admitted to the joys of
heaven.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Protection
of Traditional Marriage
·
Saturday
Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30
Days with St. Joseph Day 20
[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2020-04-11
[2] Goffine’s Divine Instructions, 1896.
[3] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 1. Holy Water.
[4] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40
Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap. 21. Priesthood.
[5]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1032
[6]Schouppe S.J., Rev. Fr. F. X..
Purgatory Explained
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