April 19, 2025
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Have a good day!
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Holy Saturday At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter
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Gospel : Luke 24:1-12
1
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3
They entered in, and didn't find the Lord Jesus' body.
4
While they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing.
5
Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth.
The men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6
He isn't here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee,
7
saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?"
8
They remembered his words,
9
returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10
Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles.
11
These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn't believe them.
12
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
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Reading I
Genesis 1:1, 26-31a
1:1
In the beginning, God† created the heavens and the earth.
26
God said, "Let's make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27
God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.
28
God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29
God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
30
To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;" and it was so.
31
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
(Or;Genesis 1:1-2:2)
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Reading II
Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
22:1
After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!"
He said, "Here I am."
2
He said, "Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of."
9a
They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11 The LORD's angel called to him out of the sky, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
He said, "Here I am."
12 He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
15 The LORD's angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
16 and said, " 'I have sworn by myself,' says the LORD, 'because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.
18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.' "
(Or;Genesis 22:1-18)
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Reading III
Exodus 14:15--15:1
15
The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16
Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
17
Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen."
19
The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20
It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn't come near the other all night.
21
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22
The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
23
The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24
In the morning watch, the LORD looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25
He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, "Let's flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians!"
26
The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen."
27
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. The LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
28
The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29
But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31
Israel saw the great work which the LORD did to the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
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Reading IV
Isaiah 54:5-14
5
For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of Armies is his name.
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.
He will be called the God of the whole earth.
6
For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," says your God.
7
"For a small moment I have forsaken you,
but I will gather you with great mercies.
8
In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.
9
"For this is like the waters of Noah to me;
for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10
For the mountains may depart,
and the hills be removed,
but my loving kindness will not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace will not be removed,"
says the LORD who has mercy on you.
11
"You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13
All your children will be taught by the LORD,
and your children's peace will be great.
14
You will be established in righteousness.
You will be far from oppression,
for you will not be afraid,
and far from terror,
for it shall not come near you.
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Reading V
Isaiah 55:1-11
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