Scripture Reflections for Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil
Year A, Lectionary 41
We await the light amidst the darkness in this Easter Vigil. We hear the history of God among us through scripture and how we enter in the new reality of resurrection. As we approach the darkness of the tomb we are introduced to the light of resurrection and the new life in the risen Christ. We are to praise God and move forward without fear having met Jesus.
Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: Abraham • Angel • Baptism • Choice • Covenant • Creation • Cross • Darkness • Death • Eucharist • Evangelize • Fear • Focus • History • Isaiah • Journey • Kingdom • Light • Love • Martin Luther King Jr. • Mary of Magdala • Mask • Mission • Moses • Proclaim • Resurrection • Salvation • Sin • Stone • Suffering • Teach • Tomb • Women •
“our 'Amen' should never end with a question mark...it should be an exclamation point”
“Baptism is in short our participation in not just the death of Jesus Christ but also his resurrection. Baptism is not just our participation in his burial into the waters of death but also our participation in his resurrection from the waters of death through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
“very rarely, however, have I been to a baptism where the baptism was described as crucifixion. As a co-crucifixion with Christ where the emphasis was put on the fact that...this person is being baptized into the death of Jesus. But that's how Paul sees baptism”
“Matthew is making a subtle point. Although the Passion Narrative tells us what human beings did to Jesus, the entire gospel story is really about what God is doing for human beings in the person of his Son.”
“life is not about earning Heaven, it's about, what? Reflecting Heaven.”
“what Matthew is definitely showing his audience is that Jesus is raised from the dead, Jesus ushers in the beginning of the new creation on the same day God makes the old creation”
“For Easter helps you and I to realize: life's not over, it's just beginning”
“Jesus of Nazareth is not a dead man. His story is about life. His story is about love. His story is about companionship. His story is about relationship. His story is about giving ourselves so that others may live.”
“That's the work we do, to sing glory, to sing hallelujah, to tell somebody out there that God is alive. That God raised his son from death. That our heavenly Father is the only one who can reach into the jaws of death and bring out life.”
“When we look at one another it has to mean something to us that God sees us as very good”
“For resurrection always offers us new possibilities. It offers us the possibility of what? Being forgiven and to forgive.”
“Jesus says 'for you to fully embrace me...you have to love yourself. You have to be able to see in yourself the Christ that lives in you. You have to appreciate the beauty and the uniqueness that God has created in you.'”
“Is God not with us? God is with us and that's what Easter celebrates. How much God is with us. God takes the flesh like you and I and walks through every moment of human existence. Fear, and stubbornness, and worry, and viruses. And still decides to be with us.”
“As we celebrate the resurrection on this alleluia-filled Easter day, may we never have to ask again 'who will roll the stone away?'”
