Ribbon Placement:

Office of Readings for Holy Saturday

God, come to my assistance.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

HYMN

You shall cross the barren desert,

Be not afraid, I go before you always

If you pass through raging waters; in the sea,

Be not afraid, I go before you always

Blessed are the poor, for the Kingdom shall be theirs.

Be not afraid, I go before you always

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 In peace, I will lie down and sleep.

Psalm 4

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;

O men, how long will your hearts be closed,

It is the Lord who grants favors to those whom he loves;

Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still

“What can bring us happiness?” many say.

You have put into my heart a greater joy

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

Ant. In peace, I will lie down and sleep.

Ant. 2 My body shall rest in hope.

Psalm 16

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

He has put into my heart a marvelous love

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

You will show me the path of life,

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

Ant. My body shall rest in hope.

Ant. 3 Lift high the ancient portals. The King of glory enters.

Psalm 24

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?

He shall receive blessings from the Lord

O gates, lift high your heads;

Who is the king of glory?

O gates, lift high your heads;

Who is he, the king of glory?

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

Ant. Lift high the ancient portals. The King of glory enters.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Take up my cause and rescue me.

READINGS

First reading

While the promise of entrance into his rest still holds, we ought to be fearful of disobeying lest any one of you be judged to have lost his chance of entering. We have indeed heard the good news, as they did. But the word which they heard did not profit them, for they did not receive it in faith.

“Thus I swore in my anger,

Yet God’s work was finished when he created the world, for in reference to the seventh day Scripture somewhere says, “And God rested from all his work on the seventh day”; and again, in the place we have referred to, God says, “They shall never enter into my rest.”

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter, and those to whom it was first announced did not because of unbelief, God once more set a day, “today,” when long afterward he spoke through David the words we have quoted:

“Today, if you should hear his voice,

Now if Joshua had led them into the place of rest, God would not have spoken afterward of another day. Therefore a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. And he who enters into God’s rest, rests from his own work as God did from his. Let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall, in imitation of the example of Israel’s unbelief.

Indeed, God’s word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates and divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the reflections and thoughts of the heart. Nothing is concealed from him; all lies bare and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

RESPONSORY See Matthew 27:66, 60, 62

They buried the Lord and sealed the tomb by rolling a large stone in front of it.

The chief priests asked Pilate for a guard.

Second reading

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

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 has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

RESPONSORY

Our shepherd, the source of the water of life, has died. The sun was darkened when he passed away. But now man’s captor is made captive.

He has destroyed the barricades of hell, overthrown the sovereignty of the devil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

All-powerful and ever-living God,

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.