Live for God

March 22 Holy Saturday

Readings: Gen 1:1-2:2 or 1:1, 26-31; Gen 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18; Ex 14:15-15:1; Is 54:5-14; Is 55:1-11; Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4; Ezek 36:16-17, 18-28; Rom 6:3-11; Lk 24:1-12

Think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin. Rom 6:11

"Holy Saturday is a day of mystery and fascination," writes Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR. "We have said the words from the Creed thousands of times, 'He descended into hell.' This is, in fact, a poor translation. In Latin it reads ad inferos, which does not mean hell (inferno), but rather the lower regions, that mysterious state of being where the souls of the dead awaited the salvation of the world. This is sometimes called the edge - in Latin, limbo, or the limit or verge.

"The piety of the Middle Ages loved to speculate on this strange state of being," Fr. Groeschel continues. "Many fascinating paintings of the time show Christ holding His triumphant banner in hand, throwing open the gates of the lower regions, and being welcomed by Adam and Eve."

This time of waiting - or better yet, in-between time - gives way to great joy at the Easter Vigil. As darkness falls, the Paschal Candle is blessed and lit. "Christ, our light," the priest or deacon intones as he processes in with the Paschal Candle. All of the people of God gathered to greet the Risen Lord respond, "Thanks be to God!"

But what does the joy of the Resurrection mean for each of us? Pope John Paul II said, "By the work of the same divine power, which creates and saves, the Church is born anew in the Resurrection of her crucified Lord: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone' (Ps 118:22).

"All of us have been born from that stone," the Holy Father explained. "We are all living stones. We are all sustained by the life-giving breath of Christ's Resurrection. 'You must think of yourselves as [being] died to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus' " (Rom 6:11).

Risen Savior, I believe that in You I have truly died to sin and am now living for God. I rejoice in the tremendous gift of eternal life through You. Amen.

Scripture
2 Cor 4:10
Col 2:9-12
Gal 2:20

Catechism
519, 992-1004

Diary of St. Faustina
415, 1669

TasDVD

You might also like...

Saint Frances of Rome (feast day: March 9) didn't sit on the sidelines and expound upon holiness. She rolled up her sleeves and practiced it.

Saint John of God, whose feast we celebrate on March 8, spent his life caring for the sick, poor, and unwanted. His motto was: "Labor without stopping. Do all the good works you can while you still have the time."

Saint Philip Neri, “the Second Apostle of Rome,” was well-known for his humorous and unusual penances, including one involving a chicken. His feast day is May 26.