Holy Saturday: Seventh Reading Ezekiel 36:24-28
Seventh Reading Ezekiel 36:24-28
24I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25I will sprinkle clean water upon y7ou, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
- Sit in the tomb with Jesus.
- Embrace this time of grief and loss.
- Remember the hope of faithfulness.
- Receive God's presence.
Response Psalm 42:1-11 AND 43:1-5
42:1 As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I went with the throng,
and led them in procession to the house of God,
with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help 6and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully
because the enemy oppresses me?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my body,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.
43:1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people;
from those who are deceitful and unjust
deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you cast me off?
Why must I walk about mournfully
because of the oppression of the enemy?
O send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy;
and I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Saturday, March 30, 2024, the Great Vigil of Easter (Year B)
First Reading Genesis 1:1-2:4A
Response Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26
Second Reading Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13
Response Psalm 46:1-11
Third Reading Genesis 22:1-18
Response Psalm16:1-11
Fourth Reading Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21
Response Exodus 15:1B-13, 17-18
Fifth Reading Isaiah 55:1-11
Response Isaiah 12:2-6
Sixth Reading Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21;9:4B-6
Response Psalm 19:1-14
Seventh Reading Ezekiel 36:24-28
Response Psalm 42:1-11 AND 43:1-5
Eighth Reading Ezekiel 37:1-14
Response Psalm 143:1-12
Ninth Reading Zephaniah 3:14-20
Response Psalm 98:1-9
Tenth Reading Romans 6:3-11
Response Psalm 114:1-8
Gospel Mark 16:1-8
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings. (c) 2024 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD
Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX. Upon completion of her spiritual direction certification, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time. Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within. It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well. So she began to share them on this site.
As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance. If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do. Keep wrestling. God is faithful to your journey. Love and hope will emerge. Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.
