See Him

April 7, 2012

Holy Saturday Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Genesis 1:1

Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. Isaiah 55:6-8

If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11

Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, "Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. Mark 16:2-4

Piety

Take from us, Father, all the stones that are obstacles to your friendship. Give to us, Jesus, the strength to roll away the stones and open a path to see you. Send forth your Spirit, so that we might see you in the world TODAY, walk in your ways, and inherit your Spirit of perfect, merciful love! Amen.

Study

In the process of lectio divina, I usually approach the daily scriptures to find one point upon which to focus some daily study. With seven readings from the Hebrew Bible, an Epistle and the Good News from Mark, a night like tonight provides the chance to focus on the entire Salvation history in the readings for the Vigil Mass.

In the beginning, the earth is a dark, formless wasteland. By the end of the Gospel, the angel tells Mary to head off to Galilee to see Jesus. The difference is the role of the Lord. We will see the effects his life, death and resurrection has on how people live their lives.

In our popular culture, there are many who will dismiss religious belief as superstition. There are others who will pervert faith into acts of violence. Throughout Lent and now with Easter, what is revealed is a true faith that conquers superstition. What is revealed is a true faith based upon love.

The reading that is right in the middle of our Liturgy of the Word tonight is from Isaiah. It teaches us to "Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near." Isaiah reminds us that God is generous in forgiving when we change the direction in which we are looking for happiness. Real and true happiness will not come from the Internet. It will not come from a new pair of shoes. It will not come from NCIS or Madmen or the Simpsons. It will not even come from the new baseball season.

Tonight and every night, we are invited to share in the crucifixion and in the resurrection. Through that, the Lord Himself will roll away all the stones that are obstacles to our friendship with Him and with each other. Then we will know that His ways are as different from ours as the earth is from the heavens that he formed.

Action

As the sun sets on Lent, our season of fasting is over. As our season of rejoicing begins, there is one view that says we can take back up all that we have given up for Lent. We do not fast when the bridegroom is with us.

Now, our action is not rooted in Penance but our action is rooted in our role in sharing the faith. On the cross, Jesus cried out, "Into your hands, I command my Spirit." Now is the time to walk in the way of God because through the sacrifice of Jesus, he has put his spirit within us.

What stones have you faced in Living your friendship with the Lord? Who has rolled back the stones in your life? Whose stone are you here to roll back?