Holy Saturday At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter
I Was There - Liberated and Living in the Covenant of Love
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
HOLY SATURDAY
1. 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.
2. 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 fifty days.
3. Holy Communion may only be given on this day as Viaticum.
The Liturgy of the Light is the opening rite of the Mass
The Liturgy of the Word is an expanded version of the usual Liturgy of the Word, so that we can hear about God liberating his people both in the Old and in the New Testaments; here the Gloria comes after the readings from the Old Testament and before those of the New Covenant to mark our entering into the definitive covenant of joy and life.
After the Gospel and the homily comes the Baptismal Liturgy, everywhere with the blessing of water and the renewal of baptismal vows, and in parishes, hopefully with an actual baptism. In the case of the baptism of an adult, if the celebrant has also helped in the preparation for baptism of the candidate, the law itself entitles him to confer also the rite of confirmation, without recourse to the bishop.
Finally comes the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Those participating in it are considered to have complied with the Office of Readings for Easter.
Note: The seven Old Testament readings may be reduced to three. Exodus 14, on the passover from Israel to the Promised Land, should always be among those selected.
General Introduction by the Celebrant or a Commentator
As there is an introduction by the Presiding Celebrant for each part of tonight’s celebration, a suitable lay minister could give the general introduction at the beginning of the service.
- I Was There
The reality of the whole Easter event is so tremendous and real for us that we must relive it as not just an event from the past but something present and real affecting us today. When Jesus died on the cross, I was there and looked up to him. When Jesus died on the cross and was buried, I was there and died and was buried with him, for I have been baptized in his death. When Jesus rose from the dead, I was there with him, for I rose with him to the new life of baptism. When Jesus, as the firstborn from the dead, went ahead of us to the promised land of heaven, I was there with him and I began, with the whole people of God, my journey to the promised land of heaven and I am still on the way in hope. Sisters and brothers,
this is what we relive in this Easter celebration. It is our greatest celebration, for it is the celebration of life and joy.
- Liberated For The Covenant Of Love
Tonight we celebrate the capital central event for Christianity: the liberation of God’s people from the slavery of sin, so that they can enter into the new and everlasting covenant whereby God, at his own initiative, binds his people to himself in a deep union of life and love. For God’s people in the Old Testament God saw the hardships they suffered in their slavery in Egypt, liberated them and made with them the covenant through Moses on Mount Sinai. For us Christians, God saw our slavery to sin and our inability to get rid of it. So he sent Jesus, his own Son, to make us free by his death on the cross on Mount Golgotha and by his resurrection. Now we are a free people, capable of love and service and justice. We celebrate this freedom and covenant this very night.
PART I: SERVICE OF THE LIGHT
A blazing fire is prepared in a suitable place outside the church. When the people are gathered there, the Celebrant approaches with the ministers, one of whom carries the paschal candle. The processional cross and candles are not carried.
The Celebrant and faithful sign themselves while the Celebrant says: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and then he greets the assembled people in the usual way and briefly instructs them about the night vigil in these or similar words:
Introduction by the Celebrant
Dear People of God: At the beginning of the Jewish Easter celebration the youngest in the group asked: “Why is this night so different from all other nights?” and the head of the family answered: “Tonight we celebrate because once we were slaves under the Pharaoh of Egypt, but the Lord God has set us free and led his people out of Egypt with joy.” When we Christians ask ourselves tonight: “Why celebrate in the dark of the night?” we answer, “We begin our celebration in the dark because we were once slaves in the darkness of sin, but the Lord Jesus has set us free by dying for us on the cross. But in the night of Easter he rose from the dead and brought Us the life of his risen life. There he made us God’s new chosen people and became our light to lead us to the Promised Land.” This is why we light the fire and the Easter candle as we sing our praise and thanks to God.
– Then follow the blessing of the fire, the lighting of the Easter candle, the procession into the church and the Exultet.
PART II. THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Introduction by the Celebrant
We listen now to the Word of God with open ears and hearts and with great joy. God s Word tonight speaks of the liberation of the people of God, old and new, and therefore how we too have been liberated by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
First Reading
The Beautiful Poem Of Creation: In this first act of salvation, God created order out of chaos and light out of darkness. He created man and woman in his own image and entrusted the earth and its resources to them to develop.
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35
R. (30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
with the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You water the mountains from your palace;
the earth is replete with the fruit of your works.
You raise grass for the cattle,
and vegetation for man's use,
Producing bread from the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
PRAYER
Let us pray (pause)
Almighty ever-living God,
who are wonderful in the ordering of all your works,
may those you have redeemed understand
that there exists nothing more marvelous
than the world’s creation in the beginning
except that, at the end of the ages,
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Alleluia Verse
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (Sung)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (Sung)
The right hand of the Lord has struck with power; the right hand of the Lord is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (Sung)
The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (Sung)
Gospel
Resurrection of Jesus
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the tomb.
Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake: an angel of the Lord descending from heaven, came to the stone, rolled it away from the entrance of the tomb, and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his garment was white as snow.
When they saw the angel, the guards were filled with terror.
The angel said to the women:
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him;
then go immediately and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. This is my message to you.
In fear yet with great joy, the women left the tomb and ran to tell the news to his disciples.
He Appears to the Women
Suddenly, Jesus met them on the road and said:
Rejoice!”
The women approached him, bowed down at his feet, and worshiped him.
Then Jesus said to them:
Do not be afraid! Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Prayers of the Faithful
PART III. THE LITURGY OF BAPTISM
Note. If the baptismal font is to be blessed, whether there are actual baptisms or not, the Litany of the Saints is sung or prayed. If the font is not to be blessed, there is a blessing of holy water, followed by the renewal of baptismal vows.
Priest with extended hands:
Almighty ever-living God,
be present by the mysteries of your great love
and send forth the spirit of adoption
to create the new peoples
brought to birth for you in the font of Baptism,
so that what is to be carried out by our humble service
may be brought to fulfilment by your mighty power.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
BLESSING OF BAPTISMAL WATER
The Celebrant blesses the baptismal water, saying the following prayer with hands extended:
O God, who by invisible power
accomplish a wondrous effect
through sacramental signs
and who in many ways have prepared water, your creation,
to show forth the grace of Baptism;
O God, whose Spirit
in the first moments of the world’s creation
hovered over the waters,
so that the very substance of water
would even then take to itself the power to sanctify;
O God, who by the outpouring of the flood
foreshadowed regeneration,
so that from the mystery of one and the same element of water
would come an end to vice and a beginning of virtue;
O God, who caused the children of Abraham
to pass dry-shod through the Red Sea,
so that the chosen people,
set free from slavery to Pharaoh,
would prefigure the people of the baptized;
O God, whose Son,
baptized by John in the waters of the Jordan,
was anointed with the Holy Spirit,
and, as he hung upon the Cross,
gave forth water from his side along with blood,
and after his Resurrection, commanded his disciples:
“Go forth, teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
look now, we pray, upon the face of your Church
and graciously unseal for her the fountain of Baptism.
May this water receive by the Holy Spirit
the grace of your Only Begotten Son,
so that human nature, created in your image
and washed clean through the Sacrament of Baptism
from all the squalor of the life of old,
may be found worthy to rise to the life of newborn children
through water and the Holy Spirit.
And, if appropriate, lowering the paschal candle into the water either once or three times, he continues (or, the Celebrant touches the water with his right hand and continues):
May the power of the Holy Spirit,
O Lord, we pray,
come down through your Son
into the fullness of this font,
(and, holding the candle in the water, he continues: )
so that all who have been buried with Christ
by Baptism into death
may rise again to life with him.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Then the candle is lifted out of the water,
People acclaim:
Springs of water, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Introduction by the Celebrant
Renewal of Baptismal Vows: Brothers and sisters in Christ in this beautiful night we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By dying he destroyed death for us, by rising he has affirmed our life. In baptism we have died with him to sin but we have not yet won all our struggles against evil and God’s life in us has not yet come to full bloom. This is why the Church invites us again to reject what is against the covenant of love and to promise, as we did in baptism, to live according to its law of service and goodness. We renew our baptismal promises. And so:
RENUNCIATION OF SIN BY THE FAITHFUL
The faithful stand, holding lighted candles in their hands, and renew the renunciation of sin.
Celebrant: Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God?
Faithful: I do.
Celebrant: Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over you?
Faithful: I do.
Celebrant: Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin?
Faithful: I do.
RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES BY THE FAITHFUL
The faithful, holding lighted candles in their hands, renew the profession of baptismal faith:
Celebrant: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?
Faithful: I do.
Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death, and was buried, rose again from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father?
Faithful: I do.
Celebrant: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
Faithful: I do.
The Celebrant sprinkles the people with the blessed water, while all sing:
Ant. I saw water flowing from the Temple,
from its right-hand side, alleluia;
and all to whom this water came were saved
and shall say: Alleluia, alleluia.
General Intercessions
Where the Litany of the Saints has been used at baptism and/or the blessing of the font, it serves as General Intercessions. Otherwise:
Let us pray to God our Father, who has raised Jesus from the dead, and let us say: R/ Lord, raise us up with your Son.
- For those who have been baptized tonight and for all Christians, that they may remain faithful to their baptismal promises in all circumstances of life, let us pray: R/ Lord, raise us up with your Son.
- For all who suffer and for the dying that their hope and strength may be Jesus, who, through and beyond death, has built a road to new life, let us pray: R/ Lord, raise us up with your Son.
- For all those whose experiences have discouraged or disillusioned them in life, that they may not remain obsessed by the past but look forward to the future with its new prospects and opportunities, let us pray: R/ Lord, raise us up with your Son.
- For all those who have committed themselves to serve the needs of others, that they may keep faith in a better world in which peace and justice are not empty words, let us pray: R/ Lord, raise us up with your Son.
- For all of us gathered here in the joy of Easter, that we may be happy and jovial people who know that God loves us with an enduring love and that we may radiate this love to one another, let us pray: R/ Lord. Raise us up with your Son.
Our God and Father, you call us your son and daughters and that is what we really are. Make us gratefully cooperate with you in the works of your creating and serving love and to look forward in hope to the happiness without end promised us in Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer Over the Gifts
Lord, God of life,
you gather us around this table
to celebrate the Easter meal
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Accept with this bread and this wine
the prayers and offerings of your people.
Make our faith firm,
that your Son may continue
to live in us and to lead us to you,
our living and loving God for ever. R/Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Let our joy brim over in this Eucharist as we give thanks to the Father for having saved us by the death and resurrection of Jesus
Invitation to the Our Father
Sons and daughters of the Father through baptism
let the joy of the Spirit cry out in us
in Jesus’ own words. R/ Our Father...
Invitation to Communion
This is our Risen Lord, who said
and says again to us this night:
“I am the bread of life.
Those who eat my flesh and drink by blood
Have eternal life and I live in them .”
With this faith, come to the table of the Lord
R/ Lord, I am not worthy….
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, our Father,
with joy we have shared
in the Easter meal of your Son.
Through his body and blood you have assured us
that we are destined for eternal life
and that this life is already stirring in us.
Keep filling us with the Spirit of your love,
that we may live in the joy of your one people,
one in heart and mind,
and living for one another and for you,
our God forever and ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
What an experience of joy
if we have really relived tonight
what we have become through Jesus’ resurrection.
May we keep living in the hope and happiness
of a people that is risen above sin and evil
and live for all that is good and beautiful.
May the almighty and loving God bless you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, alleluia, alleluia!
R/ Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia
REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Matthew 28:1–10
At the dawn of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, two women go to the tomb. They go not with hope, but with love. Their hearts are heavy. For them, everything has ended. The one they trusted, the one they followed, lies in a grave.
This is where the Gospel begins: in darkness, in silence, in apparent defeat.
And yet, this “first day of the week” is also what the early Christians called the “eighth day.” It is the beginning of a new creation, a day that does not end. That is why ancient baptisteries were built with eight sides: those who entered the waters of baptism entered a new life—not one destined for the tomb, but for eternity.
The two women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, go to the tomb simply to “see,” to contemplate, to make sense of what has happened. Like so many of us in moments of loss, they are trying to understand, to grieve, to hold on to something.
But suddenly, everything is shaken.
A great earthquake occurs.
In the language of the Bible, an earthquake is not just a natural event—it is a sign that God Himself is intervening.Something decisive is happening, something that changes history forever.
Death, which seemed so final, is being overturned.
An angel descends, rolls back the stone, and sits on it—not to let Jesus out, but to show that the power of death has already been broken. The tomb is open, not because Christ needed to escape, but because we need to see that it is empty.
This is the heart of Easter:
Jesus has not returned to this life—He has entered into a new life that never ends.
The guards—symbols of the powers of this world—are paralyzed with fear. They represent all that tries to maintain the old order: control, power, fear, and death. But before God’s action, all of this collapses.
To the women, however, the angel says:
“Do not be afraid.”
This is the first Easter message.
Do not be afraid—not of suffering, not of failure, not even of death.
Because Christ is no longer in the tomb.
“He is not here; He has been raised.”
The tomb is empty—not because nothing remains, but because life has triumphed.
And then comes a surprising instruction:
“Go to Galilee; there you will see Him.”
Galilee is not a holy place like Jerusalem. It is ordinary, mixed, imperfect—a place where believers and non-believers live side by side. In other words, Galilee is our world.
The Risen Christ is not found by staying at the tomb, clinging to the past, or mourning what has been lost.
He is encountered in life—in the ordinary, in the mission, in the journey forward.
The women run, filled with fear and great joy. And as they go, Jesus meets them.
This is a profound detail:
They encounter the Risen Lord not by staying, but by going.
Not by looking backward, but by moving forward in faith.
They fall at His feet and worship Him. They embrace His feet—the same feet that walked the roads of Galilee, that led to Calvary, and now lead into the glory of the Father.
Those feet show us something essential:
the path of love, even when it passes through suffering, does not end in death—it leads to life.
And then Jesus repeats the message:
“Do not be afraid.”
This is the word that echoes throughout this holy night.
Do not be afraid—because death is no longer the end.
Do not be afraid—because your life is not destined for darkness.
Do not be afraid—because Christ is alive.
And finally, He says:
“Go and tell my brothers.”
Not servants. Not followers.
Brothers.
Even those who had abandoned Him, denied Him, failed Him—He still calls them brothers.
This is the good news of Easter:
not only that Christ is risen, but that we are invited into His life.
Tonight, as we celebrate this Vigil, we are not simply remembering an event.
We are proclaiming a reality:
Through Christ,
the stone has been rolled away,
the tomb is empty,
and a new life has begun.
And so, like the women, we are sent:
To leave behind fear,
to walk toward our “Galilee,”
and to announce with our lives:
Christ is risen. He is truly risen.