HOLY SATURDAY 2011 : FOLLOWING JESUS' DEATH AND BURIAL HIS DISCIPLES WATCH AND WAIT FOR HIS GLORIOUS RETURN...........

For Jesus' Disciples' the sadness of His Death on the Cross, and being Laid in a Tomb, were a sad ending to His ignominious day of Suffering.  They were bereft of losing Him, and unsure if they would see Jesus again.  The night and day that followed were a long, drawn out, anguish of sorrow for those who were in His circle of Disciples and Friends.  A large stone had been rolled over the entrance of the Tomb, making it all but impossible to open it.  Yet, in the throes of the second night after His Death, something astonishing occurred.  The truly dead Jesus, came back to life again.  He broke the scourges of death and sin, and Rose by the power of God He possessed, to New and Eternal Life.  Thus today, more than two thousand years later we commemorate Holy Saturday, as a day of preparation and pondering.  Catholic-Christians throughout the World today await the liturgical celebration of the Nightwatch of the Resurrection, during the night ahead.  Churches are subdued today, as ministers make the preparations for the Easter ceremonies we will celebrate tonight and tomorrow.  The customary Saturday evening Vigil Mass, is postponed to a later hour, as the Easter Vigil Service that is held tonight, begins only after sunset, and is a wondrous threefold, "Motther of All Liturgies", including rites of Light, Scripture, and Initiation.  So here at OLOL Parish, in Sacramento / Del Paso Heights / Rio Linda / Elverta / Robla /; the Easter Vigil Service will begin at 8:15 pm. The parish ministry worker bees, led by Joan Risse, and the Canossian Sisters, will decorate and elevate our edifice into a beautiful and splendid sacred space of Easter Celebration !!!  A day of preparation also for priests, Fr. Pius, Fr. Traynor, and I, will be composing our Easter Vigil and Sunday Mass homilies; and in mid-afternoon will venture out for  Easter Lunch and shopping for the Hot Cross Buns for the Easter Sunday Mass, light breakfast - and other rectory foodstuffs for this three day Easter holiday.  May your day be one as Catholic-Christians of personal preparation and spiritual readiness for the Great Feast of the Risen Christ.  Keep it as a holiday weekend, but an extra ordinary weekend of renewed and committed Faith, Fidelity, and Fellowship, with and in, the Family of God...........!!!!!!!!!!!  Happy Holy Saturday,   Fr.  Troy   Easter Sunday Masses here at OLOL are :
                                                                                           6:30 am - 8:30 am - 10:30 am