Word to the Wise
Saturday, April 11, 2020 - Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter - ABC
[Use at least three, or up to seven readings from the OT, but always include #3: 1) Gen 1:1-2:2 or 1, 26-31a 2) Gen 22:1-18 or 1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 3) Exod 14:15-15:1 4) Isa 54:5-14 5) Isa 55:1-11 6) Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4 7) Ezek 36:16-17a, 18-28; NT Reading: Rom 6:3-11 Response after the Epistle: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 [refrain: triple Alleluia""]"; Gospels for Years A, B, C: A- Matt 28:1-10 B- Mark 16:1-7 C- Luke 24:1-12,58]Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buries with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. [Romans]
The Easter Vigil begins in darkness with the blessing and lighting of the Paschal Candle. This light is then spread throughout the congregation with small tapers until the sanctuary seems to be like stars twinkling in the night. Then the Exultet, the hymn of praise for the light of Christ is sung! The emphasis of the ceremony is on baptism and we ordinarily would see people being baptized or received into the church and confirmed on this night. This year is radically different in that we may be watching this on a computer screen or television. there will not be a sanctuary of twinkling tapers, but perhaps we can darken the room and light our own candles in the dark from one large one as we follow the ceremony. We can follow the scripture readings in a misalet or simply listen to the Word of God - all of it at home. It is all sacred, but this year it is all different. Our "Alleluias" will be prayers of hope that we as a family, community, state, nation and world can rise from the darkness of the COVID-19 Coronavirus to the light of Christ in good health! The Easter candle becomes this year, we pray, the light at the end of the tunnel!!! The baptisms and confirmations will take place,we pray, at the end of May on the feast of Pentecost!
If we have avoided the Easter Vigil in the past because it is lengthy, perhaps this year we can make a special effort to participate in our homes. It is the power of our own baptism into Christ's death and resurrection that we can celebrate. The light of Christ can lead us through our present darkness as we pray for all who suffer from the pandemic: those ill, those who care for them, and for all of us who suffer in various ways from this common scourge. This celebration of our baptism is a celebration of our faith in Christ and our hope of deliverance from the pandemic and from all darkness. This is the reason, no matter where we are or with whom we are celebrating, for singing, ALLELUIA! AMEN