HOLY SATURDAY (B) : 30th March 2024

At Easter Vigil, the Exultet stirs alive the sentiments of heaven’s triumph in Jesus’ redeeming the fallenness of humanity due to the slavery of sin. Fallen humanity, represented by Adam, has now been redeemed by the sacrifice of the One true Lamb; Christ’s resurrection has broken the prison-bars of death; Christ the Light dispels wickedness and Christ the Morning Star sheds its peaceful light on humanity. These themes are transparent in  all the readings that build up finally in the proclamation of the Gospel.

Mark’s Gospel puts forth a deeper meaning of Sabbath by giving a new vision, first to the three women, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. Sabbath is now a threshold to eternal life. No longer is it a mere day of rest and memorare of eating the Passover meal but an assurance that God, in eternal fellowship with us, and among us, is celebrated in the Eucharist. It is further astounding to realise the change of regard and role of women who were once seen as the cause of Adam’s fall in Eden and thereafter, and now are restored to dignity to rectify the wrong and distorted view of women. Their transpired trust and testimony clearly recount how God first accorded women as innocent recipients of God’s greatest new life, Christ Jesus’ resurrection. God is always ahead of us and we will see Him as recounted by the first witness.

Let the grace of Easter be our joyful navigation compass.