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April 2026 – Holy Saturday– Easter Vigil – Solemnity (A)
Mass Readings: 1R)
Gen 1:1 – 2:2 (Ps 104) 2R) Gen 22:1-18 (or 22:1-2. 9. 10-13. 15-18) 3) Ex 14:15-15:1 (Ps -Ex 15,1-7a.17-18) 4) Is
54:5-14 (Ps 30) 5R) Is 55:1-11 (Ps Is
12:2-3, 4bcd. 5-6) 6R) Bar 3:9-15. 32-4:4 (Ps 19:8-11) 7R) Ezek 36:16-28 (Ps 42) 8) Rm 6:3-11
(Ps 118), Mt
28:1-10.
Key Verse to meditate:
Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and
indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him'
(Mt 28:7).
Happy Easter to you all in the name of the Risen Lord, Alleluia!
After forty days of intense prayer, fasting, and abstinence during the
Lenten season, we now rejoice in celebrating the greatest feast of the Church’s
liturgical year—the Solemnity of Easter. The Liturgy of the Word, with several
readings from the Old Testament and the New Testament, presents to us the
entire picture of God’s salvific plan: a plan promised throughout history and
finally fulfilled in the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
The Risen Lord is the hope of the world, especially in the struggles and
uncertainties of our time. By His Resurrection, He conquered sin and death and
bestowed upon us the gift of new life. Through Him we receive the grace to live
in the Spirit and to walk in the light of Easter joy. We pray that the Risen
Lord may continue to guide the world, heal our wounds, and restore peace and
joy to humanity.
The Garden in Salvation History
The Gospel reading from St. Matthew (Mt 28:1–10) narrates the scene of the
Resurrection. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went early in the morning to
the tomb to seek the Lord. The setting of a garden has a deep meaning in the
history of salvation.
In the Old Testament, humanity’s fall occurred in the Garden of Eden, where
the first Adam disobeyed God. But now, through Christ—the New Adam—obedience to
the Father reaches its fullness. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus surrendered
Himself completely to the will of the Father, accepting the path of the Cross
for the salvation of the world.
In the Garden of Eden, after the fall, Adam hid himself from God in fear
and shame. Yet in Gethsemane, when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus and He
asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” and answered, “I am He,” they fell back
in fear. Through His Resurrection, Jesus made the extraordinary passage from
death to life, reversing the tragic movement of humanity from life to death
caused by sin. For this reason, even today the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem
remains open—a powerful sign that death has been conquered.
The Empty Tomb: A Message of Hope
The women went to the tomb to see the body of Jesus and to anoint it with
spices. Instead, they witnessed a remarkable event: an angel of the Lord
descended, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. The guards trembled with
fear and became like dead men.
The women did not immediately see the Risen Lord; instead, they encountered
the angel, who reassured them with the message of hope: “Do not be afraid; I
know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He
has been raised, as He said… Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has been
raised from the dead.” (Mt 28:5–7)
The message is clear: the living Lord cannot be found among the dead.
The empty tomb proclaims the victory of life over death.
Fear and Joy: Signs of Encountering God
The Gospel tells us that the women departed from the tomb with fear and
great joy. At first glance, these two emotions seem contradictory. If the
angel had told them not to be afraid, why were they still filled with fear?
In reality, both fear and joy are natural responses when human beings
encounter the mystery of God. Throughout the Bible, those who experience God’s
presence often feel these two emotions simultaneously. The prophets of the Old
Testament and the disciples of the New Testament frequently experienced both
awe and joy in the presence of the divine.
Thus, fear and joy together become signs of a genuine encounter with God.
The Transforming Encounter with the Risen Christ
The lives of the women changed completely when they encountered the Risen
Lord. Jesus met them on the way and greeted them. Hearing His familiar voice
must have been the greatest consolation for their troubled hearts.
Overwhelmed with reverence, they fell at His feet and worshipped Him. Faith
means precisely this: to recognize the Risen Lord, to welcome Him, and to
surrender ourselves to Him.
Jesus confirmed the message of the angel and again reassured them: “Do not
be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
(Mt 28:10). “Do not be afraid” is one of the most frequent commands in
Scripture whenever God encounters His people.
Why Galilee?
Twice the women were instructed to tell the disciples to go to Galilee. Why
Galilee?
Galilee was the place of ordinary life—the place where Jesus lived,
preached, and called His disciples. It was the place of daily work, shared
meals, and simple relationships. By asking the disciples to meet Him there,
Jesus reminds them that His Resurrection is not confined to extraordinary
moments but is experienced in the ordinary rhythm of life. The Risen Lord meets
us in the Galilee of our daily existence—in our families, our
communities, our work, and our simple acts of love.
Galilee: The Place of the Marginalized
Galilee was also considered a marginalized region. It was often called
“Galilee of the Gentiles” and was looked down upon by the religious authorities
of Jerusalem. Its people spoke with a distinct dialect and were often regarded
as simple and unrefined.
Yet it was precisely in this humble and mixed region that Jesus carried out
most of His ministry. For the Risen Lord, Galilee represented an opportunity
rather than a problem—a place where the universal message of salvation could
reach all peoples. From this humble region, the disciples would later be sent
to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world.
The First Missionaries of the Resurrection
By obeying the command of
the angel and of Jesus Himself, the two women became the first missionaries
of the Resurrection. They were entrusted with the task of proclaiming the
good news: Christ is alive! Their witness reminds us that the Resurrection is
not only an event to be believed but also a message to be shared.
Conclusion: Meeting the Risen Lord in Our Galilee
Dear brothers and
sisters, the Resurrection of Jesus is the heart of our Christian faith. The
empty tomb proclaims that death has been conquered, sin has been defeated, and
new life has begun.
Just as the women
discovered that the stone had already been rolled away, we too are reminded
that God has the power to remove the stones that block our faith—fear, sin,
doubt, and despair.
The Risen Lord goes
before us, just as He went before the disciples to Galilee. He meets us in the
ordinary events of our daily lives. If we have faith, we will recognize Him in
our own “Galilee.”
Like the women at the
tomb, we are also sent to proclaim the Good News: Christ is alive!
May this Easter fill our
hearts with renewed faith, deeper hope, and greater love, so that the light of
the Risen Christ may shine through our lives and bring hope to the world.
Happy and Blessed Easter
to you all! Alleluia!
