Holy Week - Holy Saturday: "I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld!"

The Harrowing Of Hades - Satan is Bound, Adam and Eve Free At Last

Holy Saturday is the final day of Lent, of Holy Week, and of the Easter Triduum, the three days (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) immediately preceding Easter, during which Christians commemorate the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ and prepare for His Resurrection.

In the early Church, Christians gathered on the afternoon of Holy Saturday to pray and to confer the Sacrament of Baptism on catechumens—converts to Christianity who had spent Lent preparing to be received into the Church. (As the Catholic Encyclopedia notes, in the early Church, "Holy Saturday and the vigil of Pentecost were the only days on which baptism was administered.") This vigil lasted through the night until dawn on Easter Sunday, when the Alleluia was sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent, and the faithful—including the newly baptized—broke their 40-hour fast by receiving Communion.

In the Middle Ages, beginning roughly in the eighth century, the ceremonies of the Easter Vigil, especially the blessing of new fire and the lighting of the Easter candle, began to be performed earlier and earlier. Eventually, these ceremonies were performed on Holy Saturday morning. The whole of Holy Saturday, originally a day of mourning for the crucified Christ and of expectation of His Resurrection, now became little more than an anticipation of the Easter Vigil.

With the reform of the liturgies for Holy Week in 1956, those ceremonies were returned to the Easter Vigil itself (that is, to the Mass celebrated after sundown on Holy Saturday), and thus the original character of Holy Saturday was restored.

Until the revision of the rules for fasting and abstinence in 1969, strict fasting and abstinence continued to be practiced on the morning of Holy Saturday, thus reminding the faithful of the sorrowful nature of the day and preparing them for the joy of Easter feast. While fasting and abstinence are no longer required on Holy Saturday morning, practicing these Lenten disciplines is still a good way to observe this sacred day. - Scott P. Richert "Catholicism Guide"



A reading from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday - The Lord's descent into hell

What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.

Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam's son.

The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: 'My Lord be with you all.' And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

‘I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.

‘I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person.

‘For you, I your God became your son; for you, I the Master took on your form; that of slave; for you, I who am above the heavens came on earth and under the earth; for you, man, I became as a man without help, free among the dead; for you, who left a garden, I was handed over to Jews from a garden and crucified in a garden.

‘Look at the spittle on my face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on my cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to my own image.

'See the scourging of my back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. See my hands nailed to the tree for a good purpose, for you, who stretched out your hand to the tree for an evil one.

`I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side, for you, who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side healed the pain of your side; my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades; my sword has checked the sword which was turned against you.

‘But arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God.

"The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages."

Almighty, ever-living God,

whose only begotten Son descended to the realm of the dead,

and rose from there to glory,

grant that your faithful people,

who were buried with him in baptism,

may, by his resurrection, obtain eternal life.

We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God or ever and ever. Amen.

Read more »

Holy Week - Good Friday: ‘There came out from his side water and blood.’

Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, commemorates the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday; instead, the Church celebrates a special liturgy in which the account of the Passion according to the Gospel of John is read, a series of intercessory prayers (prayers for special intentions) are offered, and the faithful venerate the Cross by coming forward and kissing it.


Fasting and Abstinence:

Good Friday is a day of strict fasting and abstinence. Catholics who are over the age of 18 and under the age of 60 are required to fast, which means that they can eat only one complete meal and two smaller ones during the day, with no food in between. Catholics who are over the age of 14 are required to refrain from eating any meat, or any food made with meat, on Good Friday. - Scott P. Richert "Catholicism Guide"



A reading from the instructions of St John Chrysostom to the catechumens

The power of the blood of Christ

Do you wish to know of the power of Christ's blood? Let us go back to the ancient accounts of what took place in Egypt, where Christ's blood is foreshadowed.

Moses said: ‘Sacrifice a lamb without blemish and smear the doors with its blood.’  What does this mean? Can the blood of a sheep without reason save man who is endowed with reason? Yes, Moses replies, not because it is blood, but because it is a figure of the Lord's blood. So today if the devil sees, not the blood of the figure smeared on the doorposts, but the blood of the Reality smeared on the lips of the faithful, which are the doors of the temple of Christ, with all the more reason will he draw back.

Do you wish to learn from another source the power of this blood? See where it began to flow, from what spring it flowed down from the cross, from the Master's side. The gospel relates that when Christ had died and was hanging on the cross, a soldier approached him and pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out water and blood. The one was a symbol of Baptism, the other of the mysteries. That soldier, then, pierced his side: he breached the wall of the holy temple, and I found the treasure and acquired the wealth. Similarly with the lamb. The Jews slaughtered it in sacrifice, and I gathered the fruit of that sacrifice -- salvation.

‘There came out from his side water and blood.’  Dearly beloved, do not pass the secret of this great mystery by without reflection. For I have another interpretation to give you. I said that Baptism and the mysteries were symbolized in that blood and water. It is from these two that the holy Church has been born ‘by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit’ , by Baptism and by the mysteries. Now the symbols of Baptism and the mysteries came from his side. It was from his side, then, that Christ formed the Church, as from the side of Adam he formed Eve.

That is why in his account of the first man, Moses has the words, ‘bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh’, giving us a hint here of the Master's side. For as at the time God took a rib from Adam's side and formed woman, so Christ gave us blood and water from his side and formed the Church. Just as then he took the rib while Adam was in deep sleep, so now he gave the blood and water after his death.

Have you understood how Christ has united his bride, the Church, to himself? Have you seen with what kind of food he feeds us all? By the same food we are formed and fed. As a mother feeds her child with her own blood and milk, so too Christ continually feeds those whom he has begotten, with his own blood.

Be mindful, Lord, of this your family,

for whose sake our Lord Jesus Christ, when betrayed,

did not hesitate to yield himself into his enemies hands,

and undergo the agony of the cross:

We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God or ever and ever. Amen.

Read more »

40 Days Of Prayer And Reflection - The Way Of The Cross: Station 14 Jesus Is Buried In The Tomb

On this solemn celebration of the Holy Triduum, Good Friday, we welcome you to join us in praying the Way of The Cross.  Each Day, for the last two weeks, we have featured one station for your prayer and reflection. If you are just joining now or would like to spend time with one of the previous stations, you may do so using this link: The Way Of The Cross 2012

Station 14 Jesus Is Buried In The Tomb


We adore You O Christ And We Praise You...


For By Your Holy Cross, You have Redeemed The World.


Christ Speaks To Me: Thus my mortal life ends. Yet, even now, new life is beginning. Like the seed buried beneath the soil whose growth begins even as it lay hidden and in darkness; for my mother, for Mary Magdalen, for Peter, John...for you.

My life's work has been fulfilled. The work of my life-giving Spirit must begin though my Holy Church and through your own life too.

I look to you.

Day by day, from this moment on you must be my faithful apostle, my willing victim, my humble saint.

I Reply: My Jesus, my Lord, my spirit is as willing, as my flesh is weak. And yet, I pledge;

The words you had no time to speak, the pains you had yet to endure, the loving work you could not do in your shortage of time,

Let me speak, let me endure, let me do - through you.

I may be weak. But you, Lord, will be my strength.

Amen.

Closing Prayer



My Jesus, My Lord,  as I view your victorious wounds, help me to meditate on them and
to see in them the sign of your victory for all.

Bless me with your outstretched hands. Give me your peace, and those three most
sacred, and eternal gifts of faith, hope and love. I pray that I, in spite of my weakness, might find in your willing woundedness the courage to give myself to you, who gave me your entire life.
Receive my own loving sacrifice and walk with me as I go out to do the will of God in my life.

Amen.

Read more »

Holy Week - Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday: "The prophets announced many wonderful things about the Passover mystery which is Christ!"

Holy Thursday is the day that Christ celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples, four days after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Only hours after the Last Supper, Judas would betray Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, setting the stage for Christ's Crucifixion on Good Friday.
This feast, however, is more than just the lead-in to Good Friday; it is, in fact, the oldest of the celebrations of Holy Week. And with good reason: Holy Thursday is the day that Catholics commemorate the institution of three pillars of the Catholic Faith: the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the priesthood, and the Mass. During the Last Supper, Christ blessed the bread and wine with the very words that Catholic and Orthodox priests use today to consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ during the Mass and the Divine Liturgy. In telling His disciples to "Do this in remembrance of Me," He instituted the Mass and made them the first priests.

Near the end of the Last Supper, after Judas had departed, Christ said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another." The Latin word for "commandment," mandatum became the source for another name for Holy Thursday: Maundy Thursday. - Scott P. Richert "Catholicism Guide"



A Reflection on The Passover Of The Lord:


The Lamb slain in sacrifice rescued us from death to life.

The prophets announced many wonderful things about the Passover mystery which is Christ. To him be glory forever, Amen!

He descended from heaven to earth for the sake of suffering mankind, clothed himself with a human nature through the Virgin Mary, and appearing in our midst as man with a body capable of suffering, took upon himself the suffering of those who suffered. By his Spirit which could not die, he slew death, the slayer of men. Led forth like a lamb, slain like a sheep, he ransomed us from the servitude of the world, just as he ransomed Israel from the land of Egypt. He freed us from the slavery of the devil, just as he had freed Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, and he has marked our souls with the signs of his own blood. He has clothed death with dishonour and he has grieved the devil, just as Moses dishonoured and grieved Pharaoh. He has punished wickedness and taken away the children of injustice, just as Moses punished Egypt and unchilded it. He has brought us from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from death to life, from tyranny to an eternal kingdom.

He is the Passover of our salvation. He was present in many so as to endure many things. In Abel he was slain; in Isaac bound; in Jacob a stranger; in Joseph sold; in Moses exposed; in David persecuted; in the prophets dishonoured. He became incarnate of the Virgin. Not a bone of his was broken on the tree. He was buried in the earth, but he rose from the dead, and was lifted up to the heights of heaven. He is the silent lamb, the slain lamb, who was born of Mary the fair ewe. He was seized from the flock and dragged away to slaughter. Toward evening he was sacrificed, and at night he was buried. But he who had no bone broken upon the Cross, was not corrupted in the earth, for he rose from the dead and raised up man from the depths of the grave.

Let us pray.

Love of you with our whole heart, Lord God, is holiness.

Increase then your gifts of divine grace I us, 

so that, as in your Son’s death, you made us hope for what we believe, 

you may likewise in his resurrection, 

make us come to you, our final end.

We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God or ever and ever. Amen.

Read more »

40 Days Of Prayer And Reflection - The Way Of The Cross: Station 13 Jesus Is Taken From The Cross

We welcome you to join us from now until Good Friday, in praying the Way of The Cross. Each Day, save for Sundays, we will feature one station for your prayer and reflection. If you are just joining now or would like to spend time with one of the previous stations, you may do so using this link: The Way Of The Cross 2012

Station 13 - Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross

We adore You O Christ And We Praise You...


For By Your Holy Cross, You have Redeemed The World.



Luke 23:50-52

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph...This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.


Christ Speaks To Me: The final cup has been drunk. I have breathed my last. The Lamb of God has offered all, for all.

My Mass may be complete, but not my disciples', not my mother's...and not yours.

My mother weeps beneath the cross, my lifeless body lay in the arms of the woman who shared her life with me. We are a picture of all partings, you too must say goodbye to those whom you love most dearly...and grief will come.

In your dark moments of sadness and loss remember this, beloved;

A world of souls were saved, by the piercing my my mother's heart.

Your bereavement too, may be the price of souls.

I Reply: My Jesus, my Lord, make haste to help me;

To accept the partings that may come,
friends moving,
children leaving,
dear ones going home to you.

Give me Lord, the grace to say "Not my will, but thine be done." And if by just one word of mine, I might draw them back from rest in you against your loving will...I would not speak.

Amen.

Read more »

40 Days Of Prayer And Reflection - The Way Of The Cross: Station 12 Jesus Dies On The Cross

We welcome you to join us from now until Good Friday, in praying the Way of The Cross. Each Day, save for Sundays, we will feature one station for your prayer and reflection. If you are just joining now or would like to spend time with one of the previous stations, you may do so using this link: The Way Of The Cross 2012

Station 12 - Jesus Dies On The Cross

We adore You O Christ And We Praise You...


For By Your Holy Cross, You have Redeemed The World.


Luke 23:34,44-46

"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit!"


Christ Speaks To Me: My Cross becomes my final pulpit - Seven times I speak, fighting for each breath, willing myself to act in spite of the pain that crushes my human spirit. Seven acts of pouring out, seven acts of re-creation, seven acts of restoration, seven words for my beloved, seven prayers for you...


‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’


‘Today you will be with me in Paradise.’


‘Woman, here is your son...Here is your mother.’


‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ - ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’


‘I am thirsty.’


‘It is finished.’


‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’


I Reply: My Jesus, my Lord, what can I possibly say? What can I possibly do?

You gave me your death, that I might share your life.

I offer you my death. All of my pains, all of my tears, all of my sufferings, all of my fears.

I accept, my God, the time and kind of death in store for me. Not by one single instant, not by one act of weakened and frightened will, would I lengthen my span of days and years - hours and minutes.

For my sins, and for all my human family. Though we know not what we do.

Into your hands Lord, I commend my spirit!

Amen.

Read more »

40 Days Of Prayer And Reflection - The Way Of The Cross Station 11: Jesus Is Crucified

We welcome you to join us from now until Good Friday, in praying the Way of The Cross. Each Day, save for Sundays, we will feature one station for your prayer and reflection. If you are just joining now or would like to spend time with one of the previous stations, you may do so using this link: The Way Of The Cross 2012

Station 11 - Jesus Is Crucified

We adore You O Christ And We Praise You...


For By Your Holy Cross, You have Redeemed The World.



John 19:18-19

There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.


Christ Speaks To Me: Enter my death...

Executioners stretch out my arms; hand held to wood - nails pierce my flesh. Pain explodes through my entire body.

My other arm is seized and pain I thought could not get worse, escalates beyond comprehension.

They raise my knees next until they are flat against the wood and hammer them fast. To breath, I must push upwards, against the spikes through my flesh and pray I might hold for just a moment.

One.

Agonizing.

Breath.

I Reply: My Jesus, My Lord - My God! I look to you and think; Is my life, my soul worth this much?

What could I possibly give in return?

What gift, so precious and profound could I give?

My Jesus, My God, here, today I accept what sickness, torment, or pain that may come.

To each and every cross of my life - I touch my trembling lips.

That blessed cross inviting me -

to be co-redeemer with you.

Amen.

Read more »