See, my servant will prosper, he shall be lifted up,
exalted, rise to great heights.
As the crowds  were appalled on seeing him - so disfigured
did he look that he seemed no longer human -
so will the crowds be astonished at him,
and kings stand speechless before him;
for they shall see something never told and
witness something never heard before:
'who could believe what we have heard,
and to whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?
Like a sapling he grew up in front of us, like
a root in arid ground....
Readings
Man of Sorrows from Catholic Hymn Book

HOLY SATURDAY

THE MAN IS CHRIST, WHO FILLS THE WHOLE CREATION

We should understand, beloved, that the paschal mystery is at once old and new, transitory and eternal, corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortal.  In terms of the Law it is old, in terms of the word it is new. In its figure it is passing, in its grace it is eternal.  It is corruptible in the sacrifice of the Lamb, incorruptible in the eternal life of the Lord.  It is mortal in his burial in the earth, immortal in his resurrection from dead........

Readings
Bible Readings


Songs for reflection
Come to me Beloved

THE SUFFERING SERVANT

See, my servant will prosper, he shall be lifted up,
exalted, rise to great heights.
As the crowds  were appalled on seeing him - so disfigured
did he look that he seemed no longer human -
so will the crowds be astonished at him,
and kings stand speechless before him;
for they shall see something never told and
witness something never heard before:
'who could believe what we have heard,
and to whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?
Like a sapling he grew up in front of us, like
a root in arid ground....
Readings
Man of Sorrows from Catholic Hymn Book

THE PRIESTLY ORDINATION

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand." Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me"......

Readings
From the Catholic Hymn Bool At  the Lamb's High Feast
The Institution of Priesthood by Christ

I SHALL NOT BE DISGRACED

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the wear with a

word. Morning by morning he wakens, wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord god has opened my ear, and  was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did no hide my face from insult and spitting.

The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near.  Who will content with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; ......

Readings
Songs for reflection:Man is lonely by Birth from Catholic Hymn book

O LORD HEAR MY PRAYER

From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,
to bypass the land of Edom.
But with their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!"
In punishment the LORD sent among the people serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
"We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you,
Pray the LORD to take the serpents away from us."
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
"Make a serpent and mount it on a pole, and whoever looks at
it after being bitten will live."
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a
pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.  Num. 21:4-9

Readings
Textes liturgiques
Prayer Psalm 13

FATHER NOTHING IS HIDDEN IN YOUR SIGHT

But Susanna cried aloud:

 "O eternal God, you know what s hidden
and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that
they have testified falsely against me.  Here I am about to die,
though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men
have charged me."

Readings
Psalm 23