Collect for: Holy Saturday
We thank you, heavenly Father, that you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death and brought us into the kingdom of your Son; and we pray that, as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Job 14:1-14
1 Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
2 He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
3 And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
5 Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
6 Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day.
7 For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground,
9 Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he?
11 As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep.
13 Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.
1
Officiant: The Word of the Lord. The People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm
Psalm
31
1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.
2 Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me.
3 For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength.
5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
6 I have hated those who regard useless idols; But I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,
8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.
9 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body!
10 For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.
11 I am a reproach among all my enemies, But especially among my neighbors, And am repulsive to my acquaintances; Those who see me outside flee from me.
12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away my life.
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.'
15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake.
17 Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!
20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
22 For I said in my haste, 'I am cut off from before Your eyes'; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You.
23 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person.
24 Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.
*At the end of the Psalms this is sung or said Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
New Testament
1 Peter 4:1-8
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles -- when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'
Officiant: The Word of the Lord. The People: Thanks be to God.
Gospel
Matthew 27:57-66
Introduction to the Gospel:
Deacon:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you. Or And with your spirit
Deacon:
May the Lord be on our minds, on our lips, and on our hearts as we hear His Holy Gospel. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
People:
Glory to You, Lord Christ.
Deacon:
We are reading from Matthew's Gospel chapter 27, beginning at verse 57.
57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.
59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,
63 saying, 'Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'
64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first.'
65 Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.'
66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
After the Gospel reading, the deacon elevates the book and says:
Deacon:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People:
Praise to You, Lord Christ.