Saturday in the Third Week of Easter

We pray Easter Saturday with a Morning Offering and a powerful reading from St Cyril of Alexandria on how Christ’s death destroys death and restores our fallen nature. We ask God to protect the grace of baptism and lead us into the abundant life promised by the Good Shepherd.
• opening prayers of assistance and praise to the Trinity
• Morning Offering through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, uniting the day to the Mass
• St Cyril on Christ dying for all and breaking the power of the devil
• Christ as the spotless victim who offers himself to the Father
• the body of Christ as the channel through which life flows into us
• “I am the good shepherd” and the promise of abundant life
• prayer for the reborn in baptism to resist error and keep grace
If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.

Transcript

Morning Offering Through Mary

Christ’s Death Destroys Death

The Life-Giving Body Of Christ

Gospel Acclamation And Prayer

Closing Devotions And Blessing

Invitation To Join The Cristeros

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Saturday in the third week of Easter. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. From a commentary on the Gospel of John by Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop. I am dying for all men, says the Lord. I am dying to give them life through myself, and to redeem the whole human race through my humanity. In my death, death itself will die, and man's fallen nature will rise again with me. I wanted to be like my brothers in every respect, so I became a man, like you, a descendant of Abraham. Understanding this well, Saint Paul says, as the children of a family share the same flesh and blood, he too shared our human nature, so that by his death he could destroy the power of the devil, the Prince of Death. Death itself and the Prince of Death could be destroyed only by Christ, who is above all, giving himself up as a ransom for all. And so, speaking as a spotless victim, offering himself for us to God the Father, Christ says in one of the Psalms, You desired no sacrifices or offerings, but you have prepared a body for me. You took no pleasure in holocausts or sin offerings. Then I said, Behold, I am coming. He was crucified for all, desiring his one death for all, to give all of us life in him. It was impossible for him to be conquered by death, nor could he who by his very nature is life be subject to corruption. Yet we know that Christ offered his flesh for the life of the world from his own prayer. And from his words, for their sake I consecrate myself. By saying that he consecrates himself, he means that he offers himself to God as a spotless and sweet-smelling sacrifice. According to the law, anything offered upon the altar was consecrated and considered holy. So Christ gave his own body for the life of all, and makes it the channel through which life flows once more into us. How he does this I will explain to the best of my ability. When the life-giving Word of God dwelt in human flesh, he changed it into that good thing which is distinctively his, namely, life. And by being wholly united to the flesh in a way beyond our comprehension, he gave it the life-giving power which he has by his very nature. Therefore, the body of Christ gives life to those who receive it. Its presence in mortal men expels death and drives away corruption, because it contains within itself, in his entirety, the word who totally abolishes corruption. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and I lay down my life for them. Alleluia. I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly, and I lay down my life for them. Alleluia. O God, who in the font of baptism have made new those who believe in you, keep safe those reborn in Christ, that, defeating every onslaught of error, they may faithfully preserve the grace of your blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen. Let us praise the Lord and give him thanks. All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristuros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristuros can be found at theCristeros.org.