Catholic Catechism Commentaries For The Easter Vigil - Year C

Catechis m Commentaries for Easter Vigil Year C
March 26, 2016
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 | VIGIL | EASTER

EASTER VIGIL
YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL 1
First Reading Genesis 1:12:2
Response Psalm 104:30
Psalm Psalm 104:12, 56, 10, 1214, 24, 35
Third Reading Exodus 14:1515:1
Response Exodus 15:1b
Psalm Exodus 15:16, 1718
Fifth Reading Isaiah 55:111
Response Isaiah 12:3
Psalm Isaiah 12:26
Seventh Reading Ezekiel 36:1617a, 1828
Epistle Romans 6:311
Gospel Acclamation Psalm 118:12, 1617, 2223
Gospel Luke 24:112
First Reading
Genesis 1:12:2
1 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth2 and the
earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty
wind sweeping over the waters
3 Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. 4 God saw that the
light was good. God then separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called
the light day, and the darkness he called night. Evening came, and
morning followedthe first day.
6 Then God said: Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate
one body of water from the other. 7 God made the dome, and it separated the
water below the dome from the water above the dome. And so it happened. 8
God called the dome sky. Evening came, and morning followedthe
second day.
9 Then God said: Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin,
so that the dry land may appear. And so it happened: the water under the sky
was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared. 10 God called the dry
land earth, and the basin of water he called sea. God saw that it was
good. 11 Then God said: Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of
plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with
its seed in it. And so it happened: 12 the earth brought forth vegetation: every
kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree that bears fruit with
its seed in it. God saw that it was good. 13 Evening came, and morning
followedthe third day.
14 Then God said: Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day
from night. Let them mark the seasons, the days and the years, 15 and serve
as lights in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the earth. And so it happened:
16 God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the
lesser one to govern the night, and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of
the sky, to illuminate the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to
separate the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. 19 Evening
came, and morning followedthe fourth day.
20 Then God said: Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky. 21 God created the
great sea monsters and all kinds of crawling living creatures with which the
water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw that it was good, 22 and
God blessed them, saying: Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth. 23 Evening came, and morning
followedthe fifth day.
24 Then God said: Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature:
tame animals, crawling things, and every kind of wild animal. And so it
happened: 25 God made every kind of wild animal, every kind of tame
animal, and every kind of thing that crawls on the ground. God saw that it
was good. 26 Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after
our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the
air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on
the earth.
27 God created mankind in his image;
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and God said to them: 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 crawl on the earth. 29 God also said: See, I
give you every seed-bearing plant on all the earth and every tree that has
seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; 30 and to all the wild animals, all the
birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the earth, I give all
the green plants for food. And so it happened. 31 God looked at everything he
had made, and found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed
the sixth day.
1 Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. 2 On the
seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; he rested on the
seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
Commentaries
1:1-31 The beautiful Order of Creation . The very manner and order in which
the sacred writer relates the creation, serves to bring out the order and mutual
relation of things created. God had already created light on the first day, but
this light was not the light of the sun. It was on the fourth day that God made
the sun, to be the giver of light to the earth. God made light first, because
without light and without warmth, which is connected with it, there could be
no growth, no life, no order in nature.
God made the atmosphere on the second day, because neither plants, nor
animals, nor men can live without air? Sound also is impossible without air,
so that without it there could have been neither speech nor hearing.
On the third day God made the earth to be dry, and plants to grow on it. But
plants, to live and thrive, require something besides light and air? Therefore it
was that God had already on the second day caused part of the water to
remain in the air, to supply the plants with moisture from above, either by
means of dew or rain.
The works of the first three days, and those of the last three, are thus related
to each other as the general to the particular, or as the place and its furniture. 2
1:1 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth : This
simple statement that initiates the first book of the Old Testament reveals that
God is eternal, i.e., his existence transcends time, and all time is eternally
present for him. Second, God is omnipotent. Everything that exists originated
with him. By his Word, he brought all of creation into existence without the
use of pre-existing materials. Finally, God alone is the Creator, and he has
authority over all creation. We affirm God as Father and omnipotent Creator
when we pray the first lines of both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles
Creed. (CCC 279)
1:2-3 Creation was a work of each Person of the Trinity. Because God is
entirely one in the three Divine Persons, each Person of the Trinity
participates equally in every divine act. (CCC 292) 3
1:4 Good : Indicates that creation corresponds perfectly to the divine purpose
for which it was made. Emphasis on the goodness of the natural world
punctuates the account (vv.10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31).(CCC 299) 4
1:6-8 When it says here that God separated the waters which were above the
firmament from those below, what is really being taught is that God imposed
order on the natural world and is responsible for the phenomenon of rain. It is
also making it clear from the outset that the firmament must not be thought to
involve any divinity (as was believed in the nations roundabout Israel); the
firmament is part of the created world.
1:11 As the inspired author depicts it here, a distinction is made between

Gods action in separating and ordering the elements (creating vast spaces of
sky, sea and land) and his action of filling or adorning these spaces with
different kinds of creatures. These creatures are introduced in an increasing
order of dignity (in line with the thinking of the time) first the vegetable
kingdom, then the stellar kingdom, and, lastly, the animal kingdom.
Everything is perfectly arranged; the world of Creation invites us to
contemplate the Creator.
1:14-17 Against the neighboring religions, which regarded the heavenly

bodies as divinities exerting influence over human life, the biblical author,
enlightened by inspiration, teaches that the sun, moon and stars are simply
created things; their purpose is to serve man by giving him light by day and
night, and to be a way of measuring time. Put in their proper, natural place
heavenly bodies (like all the rest of creation) lead man to appreciate the
greatness of God, and to praise him for his awesome works: The heavens are
telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork ( Ps
19:1; cf. Ps 104 ). It follows that all forms of divination are to be rejected
consulting horoscopes, astrology, clairvoyance, etc. (CCC 2116) 5
1:26 Let us : Christian tradition detects in this idiom a hint that God himself is
a communion of Divine Persons, later revealed as the Trinity ( Mt 28:19; 2
Cor 13:14 ). Scripture elsewhere indicates that creation is the work, not only
of the Father, but also of the Son ( Jn 1:1-3; Heb 1:2 ) and the Spirit ( Job
33:4; Ps 104:30 ). (CCC 249)
1:27 Male and female : The sexual distinction between man and woman is
willed by God, as is its purpose to reproduce the human race (v. 28). The
image of God is not only borne by individuals but is also expressed through
man and woman as a couple. From the image of the natural family, then, we
can infer that God, in the mystery of his inner life, is a community of Persons
united by a bond of love and shared life (cf. St John Paul II, Mulieris
dignitatem 7). (CCC 36, 355, 1602) 6
2:1-2 From this point onwards, God will almost never intervene in creation
directly. Now it is up to man to act in the created world through the work he
does.
Gods resting sets an example for man. By resting, we are acknowledging

that creation in the last analysis depends on and belongs to God, and that God
is watching over it. Here rest is an example set by the Creator; we shall later
find it as one of the Ten Commandments (cf. Ex 20:8-18; Deut 5:12-14 ).
(CCC 2184) 7
Catechism Paragraphs
279 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ( Gen 1:1 ).
Holy Scripture begins with these solemn words. The profession of faith takes
them up when it confesses that God the Father almighty is Creator of heaven
and earth (Apostles Creed ), of all that is, seen and unseen (Nicene Creed
). We shall speak first of the Creator, then of creation, and finally of the fall
into sin from which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to raise us up again. 8
292 The Old Testament suggests and the New Covenant reveals the creative
action of the Son and the Spirit (Cf. Ps 33:6; 104:30; Gen 1:23 ),
inseparably one with that of the Father. This creative cooperation is clearly
affirmed in the Churchs rule of faith: There exists but one God he is the
Father, God, the Creator, the author, the giver of order. He made all things by
himself , that is, by his Word and by his Wisdom, by the Son and the
Spirit who, so to speak, are his hands (St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 2,
30, 9; 4, 20, 1: P atrologia G raeca 7/1, 822, 1032). Creation is the common
work of the Holy Trinity. (699; 257 ) 9
299 Because God creates through wisdom, his creation is ordered: You have
arranged all things by measure and number and weight ( Wis 11:20 ). The
universe, created in and by the eternal Word, the image of the invisible
God, is destined for and addressed to man, himself created in the image of
God and called to a personal relationship with God ( Col 1:15; Gen 1:26 ).
Our human understanding, which shares in the light of the divine intellect,
can understand what God tells us by means of his creation, though not
without great effort and only in a spirit of humility and respect before the
Creator and his work (Cf. Ps 19:25; Job 42:3 ). Because creation comes
forth from Gods goodness, it shares in that goodnessAnd God saw that it
was good very good ( Gen 1:4, 10, 12 , 18, 21, 31 )for God willed
creation as a gift addressed to man, an inheritance destined for and entrusted
to him. On many occasions the Church has had to defend the goodness of
creation, including that of the physical world (Cf. DS 286; 455463; 800;
1333; 3002). (339; 41, 1147; 358; 2415 ) 10
2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons,

conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to unveil the
future (Cf. Deut 18:10; Jer 29:8 ). Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm
reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and
recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in
the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden
powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to
God alone. 11
249 From the beginning, the revealed truth of the Holy Trinity has been at the
very root of the Churchs living faith, principally by means of Baptism. It
finds its expression in the rule of baptismal faith, formulated in the preaching,
catechesis, and prayer of the Church. Such formulations are already found in
the apostolic writings, such as this salutation taken up in the Eucharistic
liturgy: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all ( 2 Cor 13:13; cf. 1 Cor 12:4
6; Eph 4:46 ). (683; 189 ) 12
36 Our holy mother, the Church, holds and teaches that God, the first
principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the
created world by the natural light of human reason (Vatican Council I, Dei
Filius 2: DS 3004; cf. 3026; Vatican Council II, Dei Verbum 6). Without this
capacity, man would not be able to welcome Gods revelation. Man has this
capacity because he is created in the image of God (Cf. Gen 1:27 ). (355 )
13
355 God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him,
male and female he created them ( Gen 1:27 ). Man occupies a unique place
in creation: (I) he is in the image of God; (II) in his own nature he unites
the spiritual and material worlds; (III) he is created male and female; (IV)
God established him in his friendship. (1700, 343 ) 14
1602 Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the
image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of the wedding-feast
of the Lamb ( Rev 19:7, 9; cf. Gen 1:2627 ). Scripture speaks throughout of
marriage and its mystery, its institution and the meaning God has given it,
its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of
salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal in the Lord in the
New Covenant of Christ and the Church ( 1 Cor 7:39; cf. Eph 5:3132 ).
(369; 796 ) 15
2184 Just as God rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had
done ( Gen 2:2 ), human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution
of the Lords Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate
their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives (Cf. Gaudium et Spes 67
3). (2172 ) 16
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
RESPONSE
Psalm 104:30
30 Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
PSALM
Psalm 104:12, 56, 10, 1214, 24, 35

1 Bless the LORD , my soul!
LORD , my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and splendor,

2 robed in light as with a cloak.
You spread out the heavens like a tent;

5 You fixed the earth on its foundation,
so it can never be shaken.

6 The deeps covered it like a garment;
above the mountains stood the waters.

10 You made springs flow in wadies
that wind among the mountains.

12 Beside them the birds of heaven nest;
among the branches they sing.
13 You water the mountains from your chambers;
from the fruit of your labor the earth abounds.

14 You make the grass grow for the cattle
and plants for peoples work
to bring forth food from the earth,

24 How varied are your works, LORD !
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

35 May sinners vanish from the earth,
and the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD , my soul! Hallelujah!

Third Reading
Exodus 14:1515:1
15 Then the LORD said to Moses: Why are you crying out to me? Tell the
Israelites to set out. 16 And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand
over the sea, and split it in two, that the Israelites may pass through the sea on
dry land. 17 But I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go
in after them, and I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army, his
chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD ,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.
19 The angel of God, who had been leading Israels army, now moved and
went around behind them. And the column of cloud, moving from in front of
them, took up its place behind them, 20 so that it came between the Egyptian
army and that of Israel. And when it became dark, the cloud illumined the
night; and so the rival camps did not come any closer together all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD drove back
the sea with a strong east wind all night long and turned the sea into dry
ground. The waters were split, 22 so that the Israelites entered into the midst
of the sea on dry land, with the water as a wall to their right and to their left.
23 The Egyptians followed in pursuit after themall Pharaohs horses and
chariots and horsemeninto the midst of the sea. 24 But during the watch
just before dawn, the LORD looked down from a column of fiery cloud upon
the Egyptian army and threw it into a panic; 25 and he so clogged their
chariot wheels that they could drive only with difficulty. With that the
Egyptians said, Let us flee from Israel, because the LORD is fighting for them
against Egypt.
26 Then the LORD spoke to Moses: Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the
water may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their
horsemen. 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak
the sea returned to its normal flow. The Egyptians were fleeing head on
toward it when the LORD cast the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 As
the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the horsemen. Of all
Pharaohs army which had followed the Israelites into the sea, not even one
escaped. 29 But the Israelites had walked on dry land through the midst of the
sea, with the water as a wall to their right and to their left. 30 Thus the LORD
saved Israel on that day from the power of Egypt. When Israel saw the
Egyptians lying dead on the seashore 31 and saw the great power that the
LORD had shown against Egypt, the people feared the LORD . They believed in
the LORD and in Moses his servant.
1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD :
I will sing to the LORD , for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

Commentaries
14:15-31 The account of the crossing of the Red Sea and the defeat of the
Egyptian army is read at the Mass of Easter Vigil. It is a definitive moment is
salvation history that has been remembered and celebrated every year since
the first Passover. This feast marks the beginning of the Jewish calendar year
to stress this most important episode in the history of Israel as a Chosen
People. The crossing of the Red Sea is a type of our salvation through the
waters of Baptism. (CCC 1228-129, 1217) 17
14:17 To pursue : God did not restrain the perverse will of the Egyptians; but
suffered them to be guided by their blind passions, and to rush
presumptuously into the bed of the sea. If the retiring of its waters had been
owing to any natural cause, this wise nation could not be ignorant but that, at
the stated time, the ebbing would cease, and consequently that they would be
overtaken by the waters. But the waters stood up like walls on both sides, and
they were so infatuated as to suppose that the miracle would be continued for
their protection. 18
14:19-30 At the wonderful moment of the crossing of the sea, God, man and
the forces of nature play the leading role. In the person of the angel of the
Lord, God becomes more visible; he directs operations; he plays a direct part.
Moses part consists in doing as the Lord commands; he is his vicar. The sons
of Israel have no active part; they benefit from what happens. Even the forces
of nature come into play: the pillar of cloud which marked the route by day
now blocks the Egyptians way; night, the symbol of evil, has become, as in
the Passover, the time of Gods visitation; the warm west wind, always feared
for its harmful effects, now proves a great help; and the waters of the sea, so
often the symbol of the abyss and of evil, allow the victorious passage of the
sons of Israel.
The prophets see this event as an instance of the creative power of God (cf. Is
43:1-3 ), and Christian writers comment along the same lines. Thus, Origen
will say: See the goodness of God the Creator: if you submit to his will and
follow his Law, he will see to it that created things cooperate with you,
against their own nature if necessary (Homiliae in Exodum , 5, 5).
The book of Wisdom turns the account of the crossing of the sea into a hymn
of praise to the Lord who delivered Israel (cf. Wis 19:6-9 ), and St. Paul sees
the waters as a figure of baptismal water: All were baptized into Moses in
the cloud and in the sea ( 1 Cor 10:2 ). (CCC 1094, 1221)
14:31 The main effect of the miraculous crossing of the sea had on the
Israelites was the faith it gave them in the power of God and in the authority
of Moses. This section of the account of the escape from Egypt ends as it
began that is, showing that the peoples faith ( Ex 4:31 ) is now
strengthened. So, too, Christian faith is strengthened when we do what God
desires: Following Jesus on his way. You have understood what our Lord
was asking from you and you have decided to accompany him on his way.
You are trying to walk in his footsteps, to clothe yourself in Christs clothing,
to be Christ himself: well, your faith, your faith in the light our Lord is giving
you, must be both operative and full of sacrifice (St. Josemaria Escriva,
Friends of God , 198). 19
15:1 Canticle. Origen reckons this to be the most ancient piece of poetry. It is
truly sublime, and calculated to fill the souls of those, who say their late cruel
masters, now prostrate at their feet in death, with sentiments of the greatest
gratitude and piety towards their almighty benefactor. (CCC 2810) 20
128 The Church, as early as apostolic times (Cf. 1 Cor 10:6, 11; Heb 10:1; 1
Pet 3:21 ), and then constantly in her Tradition, has illuminated the unity of
the divine plan in the two Testaments through typology, which discerns in
Gods works of the Old Covenant prefigurations of what he accomplished in
the fullness of time in the person of his incarnate Son. (1094; 489 )
129 Christians therefore read the Old Testament in the light of Christ
crucified and risen. Such typological reading discloses the inexhaustible
content of the Old Testament; but it must not make us forget that the Old
Testament retains its own intrinsic value as Revelation reaffirmed by our
Lord himself (Cf. Mk 12:2931 ). Besides, the New Testament has to be read
in the light of the Old. Early Christian catechesis made constant use of the
Old Testament (Cf. 1 Cor 5:68; 10:111 ). As an old saying put it, the New
Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the
New (Cf. St. Augustine, Quaest. in Hept. 2, 73: Patrologia Latina 34, 623;
cf. D ei V erb um 16). (681; 2055; 1968 ) 21
1217 In the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, during the blessing of the baptismal
water , the Church solemnly commemorates the great events in salvation
history that already prefigured the mystery of Baptism:
Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs,
which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power.
In Baptism we use your gift of water,
which you have made a rich symbol
of the grace you give us in this sacrament.
(Roman Missal , Easter Vigil 42: Blessing of Water) 22
1094 It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis
of the Lord is built (Cf. Dei Verbum 1416; Lk 24:1349 ), and then, that of
the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church. This catechesis unveils what lay
hidden under the letter of the Old Testament: the mystery of Christ. It is
called typological because it reveals the newness of Christ on the basis of
the figures (types) which announce him in the deeds, words, and symbols
of the first covenant. By this re-reading in the Spirit of Truth, starting from
Christ, the figures are unveiled (Cf. 2 Cor 3:1416 ). Thus the flood and
Noahs ark prefigured salvation by Baptism (Cf. 1 Pet 3:21 ), as did the cloud
and the crossing of the Red Sea. Water from the rock was the figure of the
spiritual gifts of Christ, and manna in the desert prefigured the Eucharist, the
true bread from heaven ( Jn 6:32; cf. 1 Cor 10:16 ). (128130 ) 23
1221 But above all, the crossing of the Red Sea, literally the liberation of
Israel from the slavery of Egypt, announces the liberation wrought by
Baptism:
You freed the children of Abraham from the slavery of Pharaoh,
bringing them dry-shod through the waters of the Red Sea,
to be an image of the people set free in Baptism.
(Roman Missal , Easter Vigil 42: Blessing of Water) 24
2810 In the promise to Abraham and the oath that accompanied it (Cf. Heb
6:13 ), God commits himself but without disclosing his name. He begins to
reveal it to Moses and makes it known clearly before the eyes of the whole
people when he saves them from the Egyptians: he has triumphed
gloriously ( Ex 15:1; cf. 3:14 ). From the covenant of Sinai onwards, this
people is his own and it is to be a holy (or consecrated: the same word
is used for both in Hebrew) nation (Cf. Ex 19:56 ), because the name of
God dwells in it. (63 ) 25
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
RESPONSE
Exodus 15:1b
1 Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
PSALM
Exodus 15:16, 1718

1 I will sing to the LORD , for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

2 My strength and my refuge is the LORD ,
and he has become my savior.
This is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.

3 The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!

4 Pharaohs chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

5 The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.

6 Your right hand, O LORD , magnificent in power,
your right hand, O LORD , shattered the enemy.

17 You brought them in, you planted them
on the mountain that is your own
The place you made the base of your throne, LORD ,
the sanctuary, LORD , your hands established.

18 May the LORD reign forever and ever!
Fifth Reading
Isaiah 55:111
1 All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, buy grain and eat;
Come, buy grain without money,
wine and milk without cost!

2 Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what does not satisfy?
Only listen to me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.

3 Pay attention and come to me;
listen, that you may have life.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
the steadfast loyalty promised to David.

4 As I made him a witness to peoples,
a leader and commander of peoples,

5 So shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and a nation that knew you not shall run to you,
Because of the LORD , your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake their way,
and sinners their thoughts;
Let them turn to the LORD to find mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my waysoracle of the LORD .

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,

Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,

11 So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Commentaries
55:1 Christ invites us to drink of the living water, which is the sanctifying
grace of the Holy Spirit that pours forth from Christ and grants us eternal life.
Baptism, which purifies and elevates the soul through an infusion of grace, is
necessary for salvation; through water and the spirit ( Jn 3:5 ), a person
receives infused virtues, among which are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (CCC
694, 762, 2121) 26
55:6-9 The Israelites are called to conversion. In order to return to their

homeland, they must return to God, must seek him (vv. 6-7). And the Lord,
who allows himself to be found and who does not judge in the way that men
do, is willing and able to grant forgiveness (vv. 8-9). In other words, the call
to repentance is grounded on the goodness of God who [is generous in
forgiving] (v. 7). Man, for his part, should grasp this opportunity that God
offers him. So, the words in this passage are a constant encouragement to
begin and begin again in the pursuit of virtue.
55:10-13 The prophet uses comparisons that are particularly meaningful to

those who live in the arid countries of the East, to describe how very
powerful the word of God is; it actually delivers the salvation that it
promises. The personified word of God (cf. Wis 8:4; 9:9-10; 18:14-15 ) is a
figure of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who
comes down to save mankind. 27
694 Water . The symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirits action in
Baptism, since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes the
efficacious sacramental sign of new birth: just as the gestation of our first
birth took place in water, so the water of Baptism truly signifies that our birth
into the divine life is given to us in the Holy Spirit. As by one Spirit we
were all baptized, so we are also made to drink of one Spirit ( 1 Cor 12:13
). Thus the Spirit is also personally the living water welling up from Christ
crucified( Jn 19:34; 1 Jn 5:8 ) as its source and welling up in us to eternal life
(Cf. Jn 4:1014; 7:38; Ex 17:16; Is 55:1 ; Zech 14:8; 1 Cor 10:4; Rev 21:6;
22:17 ). (1218; 2652 ) 28
762 The remote preparation for this gathering together of the People of God
begins when he calls Abraham and promises that he will become the father of
a great people (Cf. Gen 12:2; 15:56 ). Its immediate preparation begins with
Israels election as the People of God. By this election, Israel is to be the sign
of the future gathering of all nations (Cf. Ex 19:56; Deut 7:6; Is 2:25; Mic
4:14 ). But the prophets accuse Israel of breaking the covenant and behaving
like a prostitute. They announce a new and eternal covenant. Christ
instituted this New Covenant (Lumen Gentium 9; cf. Hos 1; Is 1:24; 55:3;
Jer 2; 31:3134 ). (122, 522; 60; 64 ) 29
2121 Simony is defined as the buying or selling of spiritual things (Cf. Acts
8:924 ). To Simon the magician, who wanted to buy the spiritual power he
saw at work in the apostles, St. Peter responded: Your silver perish with
you, because you thought you could obtain Gods gift with money!( Acts
8:20 ) Peter thus held to the words of Jesus: You received without pay, give
without pay ( Mt 10:8; cf. already Is 55:1 ). It is impossible to appropriate to
oneself spiritual goods and behave toward them as their owner or master, for
they have their source in God. One can receive them only from him, without
payment. (1578 ) 30
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
RESPONSE
Isaiah 12:3
3 You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
PSALM
Isaiah 12:26
2 God indeed is my salvation;
I am confident and unafraid.
For the LORD is my strength and my might,
and he has been my salvation.

3 With joy you will draw water
from the fountains of salvation,

4 And you will say on that day:
give thanks to the LORD , acclaim his name;
Among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.

5 Sing praise to the LORD for he has done glorious things;
let this be known throughout all the earth.

6 Shout with exultation, City of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!

Seventh Reading
Ezekiel 36:1617a, 1828
16 The word of the LORD came to me: 17 Son of man, when the house of
Israel lived in its land, they defiled it with their behavior and their deeds.
18 So I poured out my fury upon them for the blood they poured out on the
ground and for the idols with which they defiled it. 19 I scattered them among
the nations, and they were dispersed through other lands; according to their
behavior and their deeds I carried out judgment against them. 20 But when
they came to the nations, where they went, they desecrated my holy name, for
people said of them: These are the people of the LORD , yet they had to leave
their land. 21 So I relented because of my holy name which the house of
Israel desecrated among the nations to which they came. 22 Therefore say to
the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD : Not for your sake do I act,
house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you desecrated
among the nations to which you came. 23 But I will show the holiness of my
great name, desecrated among the nations, in whose midst you desecrated it.
Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD oracle of the Lord GOD
when through you I show my holiness before their very eyes. 24 I will take
you away from among the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring
you back to your own soil. 25 I will sprinkle clean water over you to make
you clean; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will
remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I
will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my
ordinances, and keep them. 28 You will live in the land I gave to your
ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
Commentaries
36:16-28 In these oracles, which continue the proclamation of Israels
restoration-purification, we can see the core of Ezekiels teaching, namely,
that the Lord, who is above all things, is the one who determines the election,
punishment and restoration of his people. People have an obligation to accept
the gifts that God offers; they must acknowledge that the Lord is sovereign
and free, and render him due worship. This teaching can be seen in the
announcement about restoration and a return to the Promised Land (vv. 16-
24) and in the Lords promise of inner reward (vv. 25-38). 31
36:16-24 The name of God is profaned and blasphemed in a certain sense

whenever his Commandments are transgressed. The sins of anyone who
claims to have a relationship with God makes religion vulnerable to ridicule;
as St. Paul wrote, The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
because of you ( Rom 2:24 ). Therefore, a consistent witness to faith is vital.
By bringing the exiles back to Judah, God both restored his peoples land and
revealed his presence and power. The manifestation of Gods providential
power attracts everyone ultimately to himself. (CCC 2812)
36:25-28 Through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, God the Father fulfills
his promise to protect and assist his people. The prophet Jeremiah had
already prophesied that the Lord would make a new covenant with Israel,
and Ezekiels prophecy went a step further to explain that this would be
established in the intimacy of the human heart. The Holy Spirit transforms
the hardened heart and creates a new one, infused with grace and charity. By
responding to these graces, a person grows in holiness, reflecting the love of
Christ. (CCC 368, 715, 1287, 1432) 32
2812 Finally, in Jesus the name of the Holy God is revealed and given to us,
in the flesh, as Savior, revealed by what he is, by his word, and by his
sacrifice (Cf. Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31; Jn 8:28; 17:8; 17:1719 ). This is the heart of
his priestly prayer: Holy Father for their sake I consecrate myself, that
they also may be consecrated in truth ( Jn 17:11, 19 ). Because he
sanctifies his own name, Jesus reveals to us the name of the Father (Cf.
Ezek 20:39; 36:2021; Jn 17:6 ). At the end of Christs Passover, the Father
gives him the name that is above all names: Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father ( Phil 2:911 ). (434 ) 33
368 The spiritual tradition of the Church also emphasizes the heart , in the
biblical sense of the depths of ones being, where the person decides for or
against God (Cf. Jer 31:33; Deut 6:5; 29:3; Is 29:13 ; Ezek 36:26; Mt 6:21; Lk
8:15; Rom 5:5 ). (478, 582, 1431; 1764, 2517, 2562, 2843 ) 34
715 The prophetic texts that directly concern the sending of the Holy Spirit
are oracles by which God speaks to the heart of his people in the language of
the promise, with the accents of love and fidelity (Cf. Ezek 11:19; 36:25
28; 37:114; Jer 31:3134; cf. Joel 3:15 ). St. Peter will proclaim their
fulfillment on the morning of Pentecost (Cf. Acts 2:1721 ). According to
these promises, at the end time the Lords Spirit will renew the hearts of
men, engraving a new law in them. He will gather and reconcile the scattered
and divided peoples; he will transform the first creation, and God will dwell
there with men in peace. (214; 1965 ) 35
1287 This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiahs, but
was to be communicated to the whole messianic people (Cf. Ezek 36:2527;
Joel 3:12 ). On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the
Spirit (Cf. Lk 12:12; Jn 3:58; 7:3739; 16:715; Acts 1:8 ), a promise which
he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost (Cf.
Jn 20:22; Acts 2:14 ). Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to
proclaim the mighty works of God, and Peter declared this outpouring of
the Spirit to be the sign of the messianic age ( Acts 2:11; cf. 2:1718 ). Those
who believed in the apostolic preaching and were baptized received the gift
of the Holy Spirit in their turn (Cf. Acts 2:38 ). (739 ) 36
1432 The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new
heart (Cf. Ezek 36:2627 ). Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of
God who makes our hearts return to him: Restore us to thyself, O LORD , that
we may be restored! ( Lam 5:21 ) God gives us the strength to begin anew. It
is in discovering the greatness of Gods love that our heart is shaken by the
horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being
separated from him. The human heart is converted by looking upon him
whom our sins have pierced (Cf. Jn 19:37; Zech 12:10 ): (1989 )
Let us fix our eyes on Christs blood and understand how precious it is to
his Father, for, poured out for our salvation, it has brought to the whole world
the grace of repentance (St. Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians 7, 4:
P atrologia G raeca 1, 224). 37
Epistle
Romans 6:311
3 Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? 4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism
into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, we too might live in newness of life.
5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall
also be united with him in the resurrection. 6 We know that our old self was
crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we
might no longer be in slavery to sin. 7 For a dead person has been absolved
from sin. 8 If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also
live with him. 9 We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him. 10 As to his death, he died to sin once
and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. 11 Consequently, you too must
think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.
Commentaries
6:3-11 The universal dominion of sin, which began with the sin of Adam, is
not the only event to be reckoned with. When sin reached its full extent, the
grace brought by Jesus Christ came in superabundance. Through Baptism this
grace reaches each of us and frees us from the control of sin. When we
receive this sacrament we die; that is to say, our blameworthiness is
destroyed, we renounce sin once and for all, and are born again into a new
life.
We can apply to Baptism what St. Thomas Aquinas says about all the
sacraments: Three aspects of sanctification may be considered its very
cause, which is Christs Passion; its form, which is grace and the virtues; and
its ultimate end, which is eternal life. And all these are signified by the
sacraments. Consequently, a sacrament is a sign which is both a reminder of
the past, that is, of the Passion of Christ, and an indication of what is effected
in us by Christs Passion, and a foretelling and pledge of future glory
(Summa Theologica , 3, 60, 3). 38
6:3-4 He shows how our spiritual death to sin is signified by baptism. For,
our immersion in baptism is a type of our burial, and, consequently, of our
death to sin, of which his death on the cross was the model. For we are
buried together with him by baptism, his burial, and, consequently, his
death, being the model of our burial and death to sin, signified by our
immersion in the waters of baptism. (CCC 628) 39
6:7 [Absolved] from sin : Literally, is justified from sin. Justified can
describe how men make themselves out to be righteous ( Lk 16:15 ) or
verbally acknowledge the righteousness of God ( Lk 7:29 ). In a legal context,
a judge justifies the innocent when he acquits them of unproven charges ( Ex
23:7; Deut 25:1; 1 Cor 4:4 ). Great theological significance is attached to this
term when God is the one who justifies. Especially in St. Pauls writings it
describes how God establishes man in a right covenant relationship with
himself. This was made possible by the death of Christ ( Rom 5:9 ), which
frees us from sin ( Acts 13:39; Rom 6:7 ) through the free gift of grace ( Rom
3:24 ). This grace is received by faith ( Rom 3:26; 5:1 ) in the liturgical
context of Baptism ( 1 Cor 6:11 ). When God acquits the sinner, he also
adopts the sinner as one of his own children, making him an heir of eternal
life ( Tit 3:7 ). For St. Paul, the justifying decree of God effects an inward
transformation that makes us holy and righteous in his sight ( Rom 5:19 ).
(CCC 1990) 40
6:9-10 Although the Paschal mystery Christs suffering, Death,

Resurrection and Ascension is a historical event, it is not relegated to the
past alone. Christs redemptive Sacrifice transcends time and place and has,
therefore, destroyed sin and death for all time. His one Sacrifice is made
present in the celebration of the Eucharist. The Paschal mystery draws us into
the life of Christ, which is then perfected with him in Heaven. (CCC 1085,
1987)
6:11 Baptism incorporates us into the life of Christ, which allows us to share
in his divine life and become members of his Mystical Body. Our old
selves that lived in sin have died so that we can live this new life in Christ.
(CCC 1694) 41
628 Baptism, the original and full sign of which is immersion, efficaciously
signifies the descent into the tomb by the Christian who dies to sin with
Christ in order to live a new life. We were buried therefore with him by
baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might walk in newness of life ( Rom 6:4; cf. Col 2:12;
Eph 5:26 ). (537; 1214 ) 42
1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God,
and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon Gods merciful
initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from
the enslavement to sin, and it heals. (1446; 1733 ) 43
1085 In the liturgy of the Church, it is principally his own Paschal mystery
that Christ signifies and makes present. During his earthly life Jesus
announced his Paschal mystery by his teaching and anticipated it by his
actions. When his Hour comes, he lives out the unique event of history which
does not pass away: Jesus dies, is buried, rises from the dead, and is seated at
the right hand of the Father once for all ( Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12; cf. Jn
13:1; 17:1 ). His Paschal mystery is a real event that occurred in our history,
but it is unique: all other historical events happen once, and then they pass
away, swallowed up in the past. The Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast,
cannot remain only in the past, because by his death he destroyed death, and
all that Christ isall that he did and suffered for all menparticipates in the
divine eternity, and so transcends all times while being made present in them
all. The event of the Cross and Resurrection abides and draws everything
toward life. (519; 1165 ) 44
1987 The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to
cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us the righteousness of God
through faith in Jesus Christ and through Baptism ( Rom 3:22; cf. 6:34 ):
(734 )
But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with
him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again;
death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin,
once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider
yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus ( Rom 6:811 ). 45
1694 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, Christians are dead to sin and
alive to God in Christ Jesus and so participate in the life of the Risen Lord (
Rom 6:11 cf. 6:5; cf. Col 2:12 ). Following Christ and united with him (Cf. Jn
15:5 ), Christians can strive to be imitators of God as beloved children, and
walk in love ( Eph 5:12 ) by conforming their thoughts, words and actions
to the mind which is yours in Christ Jesus ( Phil 2:5 ) and by following
his example (Cf. Jn 13:1216 ). (1267 ) 46
GOSPEL READING
GOSPEL
Luke 24:112
1 But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had
prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the
tomb; 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments
appeared to them. 5 They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them, Why do you seek the living one among the dead? 6 He is
not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was
still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be
crucified, and rise on the third day. 8 And they remembered his words. 9
Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the
eleven and to all the others. 10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna,
and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told
this to the apostles, 11 but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not
believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw
the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.
Commentaries
24:1 But at daybreak on the first day of the week : With us, Sunday , or the
Lords day, Dies Dominica , on account of our Lord having risen from the
dead on this day. Very early in the morning . The Greek conveys, at deep,
or early dawn , before daylight actually appeared. The women came to the
sepulcher for the purpose of embalming our Lords body, with the spices they
had prepared. In the ordinary Greek, the words are added, and certain others
with them . They were very probably introduced from verse 10, where this is
said of Mary Magdalen, Joanna, &c.; and also to make the passage harmonize
with Mark 16:1 . There were, doubtless, other women besides these. But
these are mentioned as the more prominent among them. Hence, in Matthew
28 , Mary Magdalen and the other Mary alone are mentioned for the same
reason, and John 20:1 , Magdalen alone. (CCC 2174, 2190) 47
24:2-3 But the stone was rolled away after the resurrection, on account of the
women, that they might believe that the Lord had risen again, seeing indeed
the grave without the body. Hence it follows, And they entered in, and found
not the body of the Lord Jesus . (St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of
Constantinople, A.D.398, Homily 90 on Matthew ) 48
24:3-4 When then they found not the body of Christ which was risen, they
were distracted by various thoughts, and for their love of Christ and the
tender care they had shewn Him, were thought worthy of the vision of angels.
For it follows, And it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments . (St. Cyril, Archbishop
of Alexandria, A.D. 412) 49
24:4 Two men : They are angels, according to Luke 24:23 (cf. Mt 28:2; Acts
1:10 ). 50
24:5-8 True faith concerning the resurrection of Jesus teaches that he truly
died, that is, his soul was separated from his body, and his body was in the
grave for three days; and that then by his own power his body and soul were
united once more, never again to be separated (cf. St. Pius V, Catechism , 1,
6, 7).
Although this is a strictly supernatural mystery there are some elements in it
which come within the category of sense experiencedeath, burial, the
empty tomb, appearances, etc.and in this sense it is a demonstrable fact and
one which has been verified (cf. St. Pius X, Lamentabili , 3637).
Jesus Christs resurrection completes the work of Redemption. For just as

by dying he endured all evil to deliver us from evil, so was he glorified in
rising again to advance us towards good things, according to Romans 4:25
which says that he was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our
justification (St. Thomas Aquinas, Su mma Theologica , 3, 53, 1, c.).
Christ is alive. This is the great truth which fills our faith with meaning.
Jesus, who died on the cross, has risen. He has triumphed over death; he has
overcome sorrow, anguish and the power of darkness. Do not be amazed
was how the angels greeted the women who came to the tomb. Do not be
amazed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is
not here ( Mk 16:6 ). This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice
and be glad in it ( Ps 118:24 ). (CCC 626, 640, 652) 51
24:9-12 The first people to whom the angel announced the birth of Christ
were the shepherds at Bethlehem; and the first to be told of his resurrection
are these devout women: one further sign of Gods preference for simple and
sincere souls is the fact that he gives them this honor which the world would
not appreciate (cf. Mt 11:25 ). But it is not only their simplicity and kindness
and sincerity that attracts him: poor people (such as shepherds) and women
were looked down on in those times, and Jesus loves anyone who is humbled
by the pride of men. The womens very simplicity and goodness lead them to
go immediately to Peter and the apostles to tell them everything they have
seen and heard. Peter, whom Christ promised to make his vicar on earth (cf.
Mt 16:18 ), feels he must take the initiative in checking out their story.(CCC
641) 52
24:12 [Saw the burial cloths alone] : Corroborating evidence of the

Resurrection. No thief would have taken the time to unwrap Jesus corpse
and fold his burial clothes neatly in the tomb. In any case, the grave robbers
of antiquity usually stole the expensive linens and left the body behind, not
the other way around. (CCC 515) 53
2174 Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Cf. Mt 28:1; Mk
16:2; Lk 24:1; Jn 20:1 ). Because it is the first day, the day of Christs
Resurrection recalls the first creation. Because it is the eighth day
following the Sabbath (Cf. Mk 16:1; Mt 28:1 ), it symbolizes the new creation
ushered in by Christs Resurrection. For Christians it has become the first of
all days, the first of all feasts, the Lords Day (he kuriake hemera, dies
dominica )Sunday: (638; 349 )
We all gather on the day of the sun, for it is the first day [after the Jewish
Sabbath, but also the first day] when God, separating matter from darkness,
made the world; and on this same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the
dead (St. Justin, I Apol. 67: Patrologia Graeca 6, 429 and 432). 54
2190 The Sabbath, which represented the completion of the first creation, has
been replaced by Sunday which recalls the new creation inaugurated by the
Resurrection of Christ. 55
626 Since the Author of life who was killed ( Acts 3:15 ) is the same
living one [who has] risen ( Lk 24:56 ), the divine person of the Son of
God necessarily continued to possess his human soul and body, separated
from each other by death: (470; 650 )
By the fact that at Christs death his soul was separated from his flesh, his
one person is not itself divided into two persons; for the human body and soul
of Christ have existed in the same way from the beginning of his earthly
existence, in the divine person of the Word; and in death, although separated
from each other, both remained with one and the same person of the Word
(St. John Damascene, De fide orth. , 3, 27: Patrologia Graeca 94, 1098A). 56
640 Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has
risen ( Lk 24:56 ). The first element we encounter in the framework of the
Easter events is the empty tomb. In itself it is not a direct proof of
Resurrection; the absence of Christs body from the tomb could be explained
otherwise (Cf. Jn 20:13; Mt 28:1115 ). Nonetheless the empty tomb was still
an essential sign for all. Its discovery by the disciples was the first step
toward recognizing the very fact of the Resurrection. This was the case, first
with the holy women, and then with Peter (Cf. Lk 24:3, 12, 2223 ). The
disciple whom Jesus loved affirmed that when he entered the empty tomb
and discovered the linen cloths lying there, he saw and believed ( Jn
20:2, 6, 8 ). This suggests that he realized from the empty tombs condition
that the absence of Jesus body could not have been of human doing and that
Jesus had not simply returned to earthly life as had been the case with
Lazarus (Cf. Jn 11:44; 20:57 ). (999 ) 57
652 Christs Resurrection is the fulfillment of the promises both of the Old
Testament and of Jesus himself during his earthly life (Cf. Mt 28:6; Mk 16:7;
Lk 24:67, 2627, 4448 ). The phrase in accordance with the
Scriptures(Cf. 1 Cor 15:34 ; cf. the Nicene Creed) indicates that Christs
Resurrection fulfilled these predictions. (994, 601 ) 58
641 Mary Magdalene and the holy women who came to finish anointing the
body of Jesus, which had been buried in haste because the Sabbath began on
the evening of Good Friday, were the first to encounter the Risen One ( Mk
16:1; Lk 24:1; Jn 19:31, 42 ). Thus the women were the first messengers of
Christs Resurrection for the apostles themselves (Cf. Lk 24:910; Mt 28:9
10; Jn 20:1118 ). They were the next to whom Jesus appears: first Peter,
then the Twelve. Peter had been called to strengthen the faith of his brothers
(Cf. 1 Cor 15:5; Lk 22:3132 ), and so sees the Risen One before them; it is
on the basis of his testimony that the community exclaims: The Lord has
risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!( Lk 24:34, 36 ) (553; 448 ) 59
515 The Gospels were written by men who were among the first to have the
faith (Cf. Mk 1:1; Jn 21:24 ) and wanted to share it with others. Having
known in faith who Jesus is, they could see and make others see the traces of
his mystery in all his earthly life. From the swaddling clothes of his birth to
the vinegar of his Passion and the shroud of his Resurrection, everything in
Jesus life was a sign of his mystery (Cf. Lk 2:7; Mt 27:48; Jn 20:7 ). His
deeds, miracles, and words all revealed that in him the whole fullness of
deity dwells bodily ( Col 2:9 ). His humanity appeared as sacrament, that
is, the sign and instrument, of his divinity and of the salvation he brings: what
was visible in his earthly life leads to the invisible mystery of his divine
sonship and redemptive mission. (126; 609, 774; 477 ) 60
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Gospels, Collected out of the Works of the Fathers: St. Luke . (J. H.
Newman, Ed.) (Vol. 3, p. 768). Oxford: John Henry Parker.
49. ^ Thomas Aquinas. (1843). Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four

Gospels, Collected out of the Works of the Fathers: St. Luke . (J. H.
Newman, Ed.) (Vol. 3, p. 768). Oxford: John Henry Parker.
50. ^ Hahn,
Scott and Mitch, Curtis. (2010). Ignatius Catholic Study Bible:
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57. ^ Catholic




Catholic Catechism Commentaries For The Easter Vigil - Year C

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Catechis m Commentaries for Easter Vigil Year C

March 26, 2016

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2016 | VIGIL | EASTER

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

1:11 As the inspired author depicts it here, a distinction is made between

1:14-17 Against the neighboring religions, which regarded the heavenly

Gods resting sets an example for man. By resting, we are acknowledging

2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons,

Psalm 104:12, 56, 10, 1214, 24, 35

LORD , my God, you are great indeed!

You are clothed with majesty and splendor,

You spread out the heavens like a tent;

so it can never be shaken.

above the mountains stood the waters.

that wind among the mountains.

from the fruit of your labor the earth abounds.

and plants for peoples work

to bring forth food from the earth,

In wisdom you have made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

and the wicked be no more.

Bless the LORD , my soul! Hallelujah!

I will sing to the LORD , for he is gloriously triumphant;

horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs,

which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power.

In Baptism we use your gift of water,

which you have made a rich symbol

of the grace you give us in this sacrament.

(Roman Missal , Easter Vigil 42: Blessing of Water) 22

You freed the children of Abraham from the slavery of Pharaoh,

bringing them dry-shod through the waters of the Red Sea,

to be an image of the people set free in Baptism.

(Roman Missal , Easter Vigil 42: Blessing of Water) 24

Exodus 15:16, 1718

horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

and he has become my savior.

This is my God, I praise him;

the God of my father, I extol him.

LORD is his name!

the elite of his officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

they sank into the depths like a stone.

your right hand, O LORD , shattered the enemy.

on the mountain that is your own

The place you made the base of your throne, LORD ,

the sanctuary, LORD , your hands established.

come to the water!

You who have no money,

come, buy grain and eat;

Come, buy grain without money,

wine and milk without cost!

your wages for what does not satisfy?

Only listen to me, and you shall eat well,

you shall delight in rich fare.

listen, that you may have life.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

the steadfast loyalty promised to David.

a leader and commander of peoples,

and a nation that knew you not shall run to you,

Because of the LORD , your God,

the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.

call upon him while he is near.