Today's Gospel - April 7, 2012 Holy Saturday with Reflection

HOLY SATURDAY

1ST READING - Romans 6:3-11 P S A L M - Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 R: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. GOSPEL - Mark 16:1-7 1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. 2 Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. 5 On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. 6 He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’ ” LIST

SABBATH

EASTER VIGIL The Easter Vigil is the Catholic equivalent of the grand finale of a program of shows or sporting events. There is nothing like experiencing it first-hand. People pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, to attend, and the glory they see and experience all passes away. The Easter Vigil is free of charge and the glory lasts forever. In fact, the celebration invites us to enter into and receive the glory as the gift of salvation that Jesus has won for us. There is no experience on earth like it for a person of faith! Too often we spend our time and effort running after things that are never going to last more than a day, let alone a week, a lifetime or forever. Our faith, and all that God offers us through faith, will endure beyond our death into eternal life. That is something worth dying for and I am willing to give all for a share of that! What about you? What are the deepest desires and dreams of your life? Do they include sharing eternal life with God and all His saints? I certainly hope so, or else your dreams and desires are going to be remarkably short-lived and very disappointing! In this sense, and in this sense alone, we are masters of our own destiny. We have to make a choice whether or not we want to share the gift of eternal life that God offers us. It is a free gift, but we have to choose to accept it and walk with the consequences of entering into a life of discipleship for the remainder of our lives. This will not be an easy task, but if anything is worth the fight, then surely the promise of eternal life is worth fighting for, whatever the cost may be. The Father sent Jesus to die for our sin. There was no compulsion for Jesus to do this other than the love He had for God and us. Is it that much to ask of us that we live as His disciples if He forgives our sins and restores to us the promise of eternal life? Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you accept the gift of eternal life? Jesus, open my heart to the truth of the Gospel. Inspire me to attend the Easter Vigil tonight and allow the many graces that will be there to enter my life as a gift from You to me. St. John Baptist de la Salle, priest, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.