First Reading:  Genesis 1:1–2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 104: 1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35 or 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 and 22 Second Reading: Romans 6:3-11 Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, Alleluia Gospel:  Matthew 28:1-10

Holy Saturday Reflection is by Antoine PHAKA, S.J. Collège Alfajiri, D.R Congo.

Dear brothers and sisters in the Risen Christ, shalom!

On this day, when the whole Church keeps vigil at the tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ, we meditate on the account of creation. Is this a mere coincidence? The Word of God shows us that it is not. It is no accident: the resurrection is a new creation. There is truly a connection between creation and the resurrection of Christ, our Saviour.

In the book of Genesis, in the beginning, God said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). This light inaugurates life and drives out darkness. Today, this word finds its fulfilment in the risen Christ: he is the true light that springs forth not only from nothingness, but also from the depths of death to give meaning to our existence.

As the psalmist sings (Psalm 104), God ceaselessly renews the face of the earth. This work of renewal reaches its summit in the resurrection of our Saviour. Indeed, God does not merely give life; he restores life.

Saint Paul also reminds us forcefully (Romans 6:3–11): through baptism, we have been immersed in Christ’s death so that we might live a new life. The old self has been crucified with him, and we are now called to walk in a new life. Thus, with the risen Christ, we truly become a new creation. Sin is conquered, our old identity is left behind, and our humanity is profoundly transformed. This is not merely a moral transformation, but one that touches our very being: God recreates us.

In the Gospel (Matthew 28:1-10), the women find the tomb empty and hear these words: “He is not here, for he has risen.” This message is not merely an announcement; it is a beginning. The Lord’s resurrection is, therefore, for each of us, the beginning of life anew.

Brothers and sisters, today we can try an inner exercise: let us imagine for a moment that we have regained the innocence of our childhood. We would no doubt recognise mistakes we wish we had not made. But today, in the risen Christ, God does not simply take us back to the past: he gives us something even better. He makes us new beings. We are not merely like blank pages, but like recreated beings, capable of rebuilding our lives anew. Our tears can be wiped away, our wounds can be healed, and what once distorted us can be transformed. From now on, it is no longer just a matter of saying, “That belongs to the past,” but of proclaiming with faith and hope: everything begins today.

May the Lord make us aware of this certainty: we are new creatures, whose existence begins with his Resurrection, and may he grant us to live this truth fully in joy and hope. Amen