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The Easter Vigil in The Holy Night
The Easter Vigil in The Holy Night
~THE EASTER VIGIL God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am, " he replied.
Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of
IN THE HOLY NIGHT~ Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to
you." When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar
there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his
son. But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Here
I am, " he answered. "Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do
the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold
from me your own beloved son." As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its
horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place
of his son. Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: "I
swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding
from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as
countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take
possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
shall find blessing all this because you obeyed my command."
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm 19
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
Prayer- Please Stand
READING 7- A reading from the prophet Ezekiel 36:16-17a,18-28
The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in
their land, they defiled it by their conduct and deeds. Therefore I poured out my fury upon
them because of the blood that they poured out on the ground, and because they defiled it
with idols. I scattered them among the nations, dispersing them over foreign lands;
according to their conduct and deeds I judged them. But when they came among the
nations wherever they came, they served to profane my holy name, because it was said of
them: "These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave their land." So I have
relented because of my holy name which the house of Israel profaned among the nations
where they came. Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Not for
your sakes do I act, house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you profaned
among the nations to which you came. I will prove the holiness of my great name, Opening Prayer- please be seated after the prayer
profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall
know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when in their sight I prove my holiness EPISTLE- A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 6:3-11
through you. For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the
Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were
foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so
cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in
you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony
newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we
hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by
shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified
my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in
you shall be my people, and I will be your God. slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the
dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin
Responsorial Psalm 42~ Like a deer that longs for running streams, once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of
so my soul longs for You, my God. yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.
Prayer- Please Stand The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm 118- please stand PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR - Alleluia No.1
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Refrain: Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the Risen Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, give praise to His Name.
GOSPEL- A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew Jesus is Lord of all the earth,
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary He is the King of creation. ~R~
Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there Spread the good news o’er all the earth;
was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, Jesus has died and has risen. ~R~
approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was
We have been crucified with Christ,
like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken
with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the Now we shall live forever. ~R~
women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the God has proclaimed his gracious gift:
crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and Life eternal for all who believe. ~R~
see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has Come, let us praise the living God,
been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you Joyfully sing to our Savior. ~R~
will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” Then they went away quickly from
the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. Spiritual Communion ~ My Jesus, I believe that You are present
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I
approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment
them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I
they will see me.” embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ. You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
BLESSING WATER & RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES
Springs of Water, bless the Lord, COMMUNION PROCESSION- Alleluia Sing to Jesus
Praise and exult Him above all forever (x2) Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne;
-Please respond “I do” Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.
-Candles of the congregation are relit as a reminder of the day of Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion, thunder like a mighty
their baptism flood: "Jesus out of every nation, has redeemed us by His blood."
Alleluia! Not as orphans, are we left in sorrow now;
Sprinkling Rite- Baptized in Water (tune of Morning Has Broken) Alleluia! He is near us: faith believes, nor questions how.
Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit cleansed by the blood of Though the cloud from sight received Him
Christ our King; heirs of salvation, trusting his promise - faithfully When the forty days were over, shall our hearts forget His
now God's praise we sing. Promise: "I am with you ever-more"?
Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit, dead in the tomb with Christ Alleluia! Bread of angels, Thou on earth our food, our stay;
our King; one with his rising, freed and forgiven thankfully now Alleluia! Here the sinful, flee to You from day to day.
God's praise we sing. Intercessor, friend of sinners, earth’s Redeemer, plead for me,
Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit, marked with the sign of Where the songs of all the sinless sweep across the crystal sea.
Christ our King; born of one Father, we are his children - joyfully Alleluia! King eternal, Thee the Lord of lords we own;
now God's praise we sing. Alleluia! Born of Mary, earth Thy foot-stool, heaven Thy
throne. Thou, within the veil hast entered, robed in flesh, our
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL- Risen Lord Hear Us! great high priest, Thou on earth both priest and victim, in the
Eucharistic feast.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Alleluia. Alleluia. ~ Thank be to God. Alleluia. Alleluia.
POST MASS HYMN- Sing to the Mountains
Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea. Raise your voices, lift your
hearts. This is the day the Lord has made. Let all the earth rejoice.
I will give thanks to you, my Lord. You have answered my plea. You
have saved my soul from death. You are my strength and my song.
Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea. Raise your voices, lift your
hearts. This is the day the Lord has made. Let all the earth rejoice.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea. Raise your voices, lift your
hearts. This is the day the Lord has made. Let all the earth rejoice.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice.
RECESSIONAL HYMN- Jesus Christ is Risen Today
Death has lost and all is life. Sing of the glory of God.
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss, Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea. Raise your voices, lift your
Alleluia! hearts. This is the day the Lord has made. Let all the earth rejoice.
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heavenly
King, Alleluia! Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to
redeem and save, Alleluia!
But the pains which He endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured,
Alleluia! Now above the sky He’s king, Alleluia! Where the angels ever
sing, Alleluia!