Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CATECHESIS, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, EASTER, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY SATURDAY, LENT 2024, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on WATCHING, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 30 March – The Night which Sets Us Free From the Sleep of Death

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 30 March – Holy Saturday – The Lord’s Vigil Mass of Easter, Blessing of the Fire, Prophecies, Blessing of the Font, First Mass of Easter – Matthew 28,1-7 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

It was very necessary that Christ
should rise during the night because ,
His Resurrection has enlightened our darkness!
… ”
St Augustine

He is not here.
For He is risen, as He said.

Matthew 28:6

LUMEN CHRISTI
Deo Gratias!

The Night which Sets Us Free
From the Sleep of Death

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Brethren, let us keep watch, for Christ remained in the tomb until this night.
It was on this night that the Resurrection of His flesh took place.
On the Cross it was the butt of mockery; today, Heaven and earth give it worship.
This night already forms part of our Sunday.
It was very necessary that Christ should rise during the night because, His Resurrection has enlightened our darkness! …
Just as our faith, strengthened by Christ’s Resurrection, dispels all sleep, so this night, lightened by our vigils, is filled with brightness.

With the Church throughout the earth, it causes us to hope we shall never be surprised during the night (Mk 13:33).

Amongst so many peoples whom this Feast – kept so solemnly everywhere – gathers together in the Name of Christ, the sun has gone down.
Yet, day has not disappeared; the lights of Heaven have taken over from the lights of earth…
He, Who has given us the glory of His Name (Ps 28:2) has also illumined this night.
He to Whom we say “Thou lighten my darkness” (Ps 18:28) sheds His brightness in our hearts.
Just as our dazzled eyes behold these shining torches, so our enlightened spirits enable us to see how luminous is this night, this holy night in which our Lord initiated, in His own flesh, the Life which knows neither sleep nor death!
” – (2nd Sermon for the Easter Vigil; PLS 2, 549-552 – Sermon Morin Guelferbytanus 5).

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One Minute Reflection – 30 March – He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.

One Minute Reflection – 30 March – Holy Saturday – The Lord’s Vigil Mass of Easter, Blessing of the Fire, Prophecies, Blessing of the Font, First Mass of Easter – Matthew 28:1-7 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

And the Angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you, for I know that you seek Jesus Who was Crucified, He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.” – Matthew 28:5-6

REFLECTION – “When the third day dawned of the Lord’s Sacred repose in the tomb … Christ, the “power and Wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24), with the author of death lying prostrate, conquered even death itself and opened to us access to eternity, when He raised Himself from the dead by His Divine Power in order to make known to us the paths of Life.

Then there was a great earthquake, for an Angel of the Lord came down from Heaven, with raiment like snow and his countenance like lightening.   He appeared attractive to the devout and severe to the wicked – for he terrified the soldiers and comforted the timid women, to whom the Lord Himself first appeared after rising because, their intense devotion, so merited.   Then He was seen by Peter, then by the disciples going to Emmaus, then by all the Apostles except Thomas.   Later He presented Himself to be touched by Thomas, who proclaimed his faith:  “My Lord and my God.”   And thus, during forty days, He appeared in many ways to His disciples, both eating and drinking with them.

He enlightened our faith with proofs and lifted up our hope with promises, so as finally, to enkindle our love with gifts from Heaven!” … St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – O God, Who dost illuminate this most holy night by the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, preserve in the new children of Thy family, the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given, that renewed in body and mind, they may render to Thee a pure service. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in APRIL -MONTH of the RESURRECTION and the BLESSED SACAMENT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, EASTER, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY SATURDAY, HOLY WEEK, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 April – , He is not here, for He is risen, as He said – Matthew 28:6

One Minute Reflection – 8 April – Holy Saturday – The Lord’s Vigil Mass of Easter, Blessing of the Fire, Prophecies, Blessing of the Font, First Mass of Easter – Matthew 28,1-7 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

And the Angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you, for I know that you seek Jesus Who was Crucified, He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.” – Matthew 28:5-6

REFLECTION – “Every vigil celebrated in the Lord’s honour is pleasing to God and acceptable to Him but this particular Vigil more than all the rest. That is why this night, in particular, holds the title “The Lord’s Vigil.” Indeed, what we read is: “All the Israelites must keep a vigil for the Lord” (Ex 12:42). And this night, well merits the title, since the Lord awoke in life that we might not remain asleep in death. For He suffered death’s sleep for our sakes, in the Mystery of His Passion, yet this sleep of the Lord, has become the Vigil of the whole world because, the Death of Christ, has removed from us, the sleep of eternal death. He Himself says it through the prophet: “I lie down in sleep, I wake again and My sleep was sweet to me” (Ps 3:6; Jer 31:26). This sleep of Christ which we have called to mind, from the bitterness of Death to the sweetness of Life, cannot be anything but sweet.

Solomon wrote: “I sleep but my heart is awake” (Sg 5:2). These words seemingly show the Mystery of the Divinity and flesh of the Lord. He slept according to the flesh but His Divinity kept watch, since the Divinity cannot sleep… “He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the guardian of Israel” (Ps 120:4)… He slept according to the flesh but His Divinity visited hell in order to draw out the man whom it had held captive. Our Lord and Saviour desired to enter into every place to have mercy on everyone. He came down from Heaven to the earth to visit the world and again, He descended from earth to hell, to carry light to those held captive there, as spoken by the prophet: “Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone” (Is 9:1).

Hence Angels in Heaven, men on earth and the souls of the faithful in the dwelling place of the dead, celebrate this Vigil of the Lord… If one sinner’s repentance, as the Gospel says, gives joy to the Angels in Heaven, (Lk 15:7.10) how much more, the Redemption of the whole world?… And so, this Vigil is not just a feast for men and Angels but also for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit because the world’s Salvation is the Trinity’s happiness!” St Chromatius of Aquilaea (Died c407) Bishop and Father of the Church (1st Sermon for the Paschal Vigil).

PRAYER – O God, Who dost illuminate this most holy night by the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, preserve in the new children of Thy family, the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given, that renewed in body and mind, they may render to Thee a pure service. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, HOLY SATURDAY, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 April – He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.

One Minute Reflection – 16 April – Holy Saturday (Vigil Mass of Easter) – Matthew 28,1-7.

And the Angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you, for I know that you seek Jesus Who was Crucified, He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.” – Matthew 28:5-6

REFLECTION – “When the third day dawned of the Lord’s sacred repose in the tomb (…) Christ, the “power and Wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24), with the author of death lying prostrate, conquered even death itself and opened to us access to eternity, when He raised Himself from the dead by His divine power in order to make known to us the paths of life.

Then there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, with raiment like snow and his countenance like lightening.   He appeared attractive to the devout and severe to the wicked – for he terrified the soldiers and comforted the timid women, to whom the Lord Himself first appeared after rising, because their intense devotion so merited.   Then He was seen by Peter, then by the disciples going to Emmaus, then by all the apostles except Thomas.   Later He presented Himself to be touched by Thomas, who proclaimed his faith:  “My Lord and my God.”   And thus, during forty days, He appeared in many ways to His disciples, both eating and drinking with them.

He enlightened our faith with proofs and lifted up our hope with promises, so as finally to enkindle our love with gifts from heaven.” … St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – O God, Who dost illuminate this most holy night by the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, preserve in the new children of Thy family, the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given, that renewed in body and mind, they may render to Thee a pure service. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).