HOMILY FOR HOLY SATURDAY – VIGIL MASS

HOMILY FOR HOLY SATURDAY HOMILY THEME: BLACK SATURDAY, A DAY OF SILENCE, STILLNESS, WAITING. “JESUS DESCENDED INTOHELL.”BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon 

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.

HOMILY FOR HOLY SATURDAY – VIGIL MASS

HOMILY THEME: BLACK SATURDAY, A DAY OF SILENCE, STILLNESS, WAITING. “JESUS DESCENDED INTO
HELL.”

BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon

 

HOMILY: The Lord Jesus had met His death. As a true human being, He died and descended into hell, as we profess in our Creed. Hell here is the one called by the Hebrew “Sheol" and the Greek "Hades". It is the place for all the dead, the just and the damned. We believe that Jesus went to hell not because He was worthy of hell but as a Saviour to bring the Good News to the just and open for them the gates of heaven.

Now, we await Jesus’ resurrection, His return from His sojourn in hell. All we can do is to keep still and stay silent. Jesus is completing the last phase of His mission, the fulfillments of His Incarnation and death. Those who had died and had been justified will first benefit from Jesus’ resurrection. God continues to work in Jesus. In due time, Jesus, will rise again!

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The Church aptly responds to this need to be silent. After the Good Friday celebration, none will be held until Saturday evening when the whole Church will be in vigil to anticipate and celebrate Easter, the day the Lord has made. In faith, in certain hope, Jesus will rise from the dead.

It does not mean that we will do nothing. We wait in prayer. It means we prepare to welcome Jesus risen. For more than forty days, we spent our days in prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. We actually purify ourselves in order to celebrate with the risen Jesus. We share Jesus’ joy in His resurrection. It is the joy we will also experience when we get to be with our Lord in God’s Kingdom.

Best would be to join the whole Church in vigil in the churches. It will be a long celebration but it will be worth it. The symbolism of darkness to light will begin the vigil. Then the readings from Scriptures outlining God’s plan of salvation. Then the lighting, singing of the Gloria, and Alleluia which we last heard the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. And, as a gesture of extreme joy and faith, we kiss the resurrected Christ image after the mass. The Easter Season will begin. But that will be going ahead. meantime, let us savor the moment… we keep still….we stay silent…in faith.

 

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