There is no liturgy on Holy Saturday. We spend the day reflecting upon the powerful reality of Jesus’ death. In addition to the Daily Reflection and the Preparing for the Easter Vigil Liturgy pages, we offer a page with each of the readings for the Easter Vigil and a page with each of the prayers that are said after each reading. These pages are inter-linked, so that is it possible to go back and forth, easily, just following the links.
What is important is that we keep this day holy, and let our “sense” of the mystery of death shape our reflection, and our longing to celebrate the Easter gift of Jesus alive, for us and with us.
If we are able to celebrate the Easter Vigil, we can renew our Baptismal Promises in a way the completes our Lenten journey to the font. We offer a renewal of our Baptismal promises here, which we might do, in these or similar words, which any of us might make as we keep a vigil of readings and prayer Saturday night, or early Easter Sunday Morning.
“On Holy Saturday, the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb in prayer and fasting, meditating on his Passion and Death and on his Descent into Hell, and awaiting his Resurrection. The Church abstains from the Sacrifice of the Mass with the sacred table left bare, until after the solemn Vigil, that is, the anticipation by night of the Resurrection, when the time comes for paschal joys, the abundance of which overflows to occupy 50 days. Holy Communion may only be given on this day as Viaticum.” – From New Roman Missal, Third Edition
The Easter Vigil Readings
These readings help tell the story of our Salvation History. They also help us be ready to remember what we are celebrating. We have been baptized into the death and the resurrection of Jesus.
The Easter Vigil Prayers
These prayers are said after each reading and help us to understand the reading but also to keep asking for the graces that these powerful readings prepare us for.
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