Glorious 'Community of Clay Pots'
Holy Saturday, April 15 * Easter Vigil
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~"If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him." Romans 6:8

We carry the glory of the risen Christ in vessels made of earth itself --- that is, in our bodies. Some of those vessels are large and sturdy, others are slender and fragile; some are beautifully enameled, others are funny looking. We are a bunch of clay jars, walking around and carrying a treasure that is beyond imagination within us.

Often I don't feel very fervent during Lent. I don't fast well, or pray well, or read well. My own "clay jar" feels weak and cracked. So by the time we get to the special liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, I don't feel ready for Easter. I want an extra week to prepare my clay jar to be worthy of Easter.

But the power of the resurrection isn't dependent on my strength or fervor or readiness. All God requires is an empty vessel. The Spirit of the risen Jesus lives in our very bodies. The power of God catches us in our very weakness. By His resurrection, Jesus has created a community of clay pots, each filled with the seeds of eternal glory.

-- Mother Gail Fitzpatrick, O.C.S.O

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Exodus14:15--15:1*Romans6:3-11*Psalms118:1-2,16-17,22-23*Mark16:1-7