Easter Vigil

Holy Saturday is a time of waiting and watching, trusting, hoping that Jesus’ words were God’s promise. Wait and watch with the women in belief, and rejoice!

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Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 28,1-10.

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.

His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow.

The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men.

Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.

He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."

Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples.

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

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“Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day” (Ps 138,12)

We, who are mortal, need to sleep to restore our strength and therefore interrupt our life with this image of death that leaves us at least some scraps of life. In the same way all those who live in chastity, innocence and fervor prepare for themselves the life of angels; in exchange for this burden of death, they will receive grace in the eternal life...

Now, my brothers, listen to these few words I want to tell you about this coming night we are going to live...Our Lord Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead on the third day: no Christian doubts about this. The Holy Gospels testify that this event occurred during this night...

It is not from light to darkness but from darkness to light that we struggle to come out. The apostle Paul warns us: “the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13,12)...

This is why we will stay up this night when the Lord was raised and when he started in his flesh the life of which I talked to you before, the life that has no death nor sleep. And the flesh that he raised from the tomb will not die anymore, and will not fall under the laws of death anymore.

The women that loved him came at dawn to visit his tomb; instead of finding his body, they heard the voice of angels announcing his resurrection. No doubt then that he was raised the night before this dawn.

In this way, the one of whom we celebrate the resurrection in our long vigils will make us reign with him in an everlasting life. And even if, at the time we were on watch, his body were in the tomb and would not have been raised yet, our watch would still have all its meaning, because he slept so that we may be awakened, he died so that we may live.