Homily: Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil Year ABC)
Joy & Hope in the Risen Lord In this Time
Coronavirus
Fr. Udoekpo, Michael Ufok
v (1) Gen 1:1–2:2 or
1:1, 26-31a; Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10-14, 24, 35 or Ps 33:4-7, 12-13, 20-22
v (2) Gen 22:1-18 or
22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Ps 16:5, 8, 9-11
v (3) Exod 14:15–15:1;
Exod 15:1-6, 17-18
v (4) Isa 54:5-14; Ps
30:2, 4-6, 11-13
v (5) Isa 55:1-11; Ps
12:2-3, 4-6
v (6) Bar 3:9-15, 32–4:4;
Ps 19:8-11
v (7) Ezek 36:16-17a,
18-28; [A] Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3-4; [B] Isa 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6; [C] Ps 51:12-13, 14-15,
18-19
v (8) Rom 6:3-11; Ps
118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
v (9) [A] Matt 28:1-10;
[B] Mark 16:1-7; [C] Luke 24:1-12
In tonight’s
liturgy the church assembles around Jesus’ tomb with songs, prayer, and the
sharing of Scripture while awaiting his resurrection. Even though the gathering
is a bit long, and with few or without the congregation, or as we worship from
our homes and various locations, because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it is
a four-part, faith-filled- joyful celebration including: the joyful song of the exulted along
with the lighting of candles to symbolize Christ’s role as the Light of the
World, the liturgy of the word, [baptism] and the renewal of promises, and the Holy
Eucharist- following the directives from the Congregation of Divine Worship and
Discipline of the Sacraments.
Through
the Scripture readings, we recollect the history of our salvation: beginning
with creation, proceeding to the covenant with Abraham, and finally culminating
in the events of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection from the dead, which we gather
tonight to celebrate!
What wonderful
and spiritually-rich Scripture passages we read today. In the creation stories
of Genesis and in the psalms, God lovingly creates, orders, assigns names, shows
mercy and kindness, and forgives. In spite of the generation of our first parents—Adam
and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah—God calls Abraham and establishes a covenant with
him. In our Scriptures tonight, Abraham is willing to sacrifice, go through trials,
and give back to God all that God had given him—including his only son Isaac (Gen
22:1-18). What are you willing to give back to God to make your relationship with
God work? Perhaps it includes faithfulness, hope, and love, charity to the poor
and the needy, especially in this time of pandemic, or sharing your faith story
with others?
As we deal and go through the
threats and plague of ongoing Corona virus pandemic, we could see that Israel’s
story is our story. Through these stories, we are reminded that our lives, Israel’s
lives, belong to God. He alone can use us. He can write even on a crooked line!
Though we are suffering this pandemic now, there is a light at the end of the
tunnel, as I mentioned in my Good Friday and Palm Sunday Homilies. We see this
particularly in the events of Israel’s various exiles. God alone can harden Pharaoh’s
heart; he alone works through the signs of the ten plagues, and he alone uses Assyria
and Babylon as his instruments of judgment. God judges, punishes, rewards, and exhorts
in order to save Israel, as expressed in the various prophetic passages read tonight—particularly
those of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Baruch.
What Israel’s
prophets long foretold—life, hope, freedom, salvation, new life—is fulfilled tonight
in the resurrection of Christ, witnessed by Paul in Romans 6:3-11. Instructing the
community of believers in Rome, Paul says, “Do you not know that all of us who
have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we
have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in
newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4).
The [baptismal
rites and] renewal that we celebrate tonight speak to this Pauline passage and point
to the tomb and resurrection of Christ, which we await this holy night. It is a
night we set aside the fear, sorrow, uncertainty, frustration, and anxiety of Good
Friday and go out to spread the joy of the empty tomb and the glorious resurrection.
Imagine
what the experience of the empty tomb must have been like for the early apostles.
It must have been amazing to the women, particularly Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and
Mary the mother of James, and to the others who accompanied them. It must have been
amazing to Peter and to the rest of the disciples as well.
If you
were there in the early days, what would you have felt? How do you feel tonight?
What an amazing God we worship! With the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, everything
is possible! Creation is possible. The orderliness of creation is possible. The
hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is possible. The crossing of the Red Sea on dry
land is possible. Raising Jesus from the tomb is possible. Healing is possible.
Success in life is possible. Passing that examination is possible. True reconciliation
is possible. Transformation is possible. Family reunion is possible.
For those
who live under corrupt governments, transformed sociopolitical structure is possible.
Reaching out to the poor, the aged, and the needy, as stressed by Pope Francis,
is possible. Justice is possible. Providing basic facilities- hospitals, food
and nourishment, roads, electricity, job opportunities, reliefs for citizens in
this time of pandemic is possible.
As we [virtually]
gather around Christ’s empty tomb this holy night, may we be reassured of the hope,
transformation, and new life that the light of the resurrection of Christ brings
us. May we be reassured of his presence in our homes, families, churches, offices,
journeys, and workplaces. As we pray for our brothers and sisters, victims of terrorism,
and Covid-19 around the globe, may we continue to trust in his protective care.
May we, as the baptized and as believers, be joyful and reassured of eternal life
in heaven after our pilgrimage here on earth.
Reflection
Questions:
1. In
this time of Coronavirus what gives you joy and hope?
2. What
aspect of today’s Scripture readings or levels of celebration impact you most;
any aspect of Israel’s story in your story?
3. What
is the meaning of the resurrection for you, and how do you share this with stressed members
of your faith community, health workers, and those affected or who may have
lost their loved ones to corona virus?
