Saturday, March 30th
Scripture
God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” Genesis 1:3
Reflection
At the Passover ritual to this very day, the youngest child asks the question: “Why is this night different from every other night?” At the Easter Vigil, we too might ask: “Why is this night different from every other night?”
The Exsultet near the beginning of the dramatic ritual gives an answer: “This night shall be as bright as day and full of gladness… Christ coming back from death’s domain has shed his peaceful light on humanity and lives and reigns forever.” Yes, this is what we celebrate.
But the night of the Easter Vigil certainly is different! It is an ancient ritual, to which we are unaccustomed in our culture. It is full of words and symbols that seem foreign to us; and the very length of the ritual is difficult for us in our fast-paced world where almost everything shorter is better. Let’s try to understand and to pray:
The service of light, in which a “blazing fire” represents the light of Christ, which is sung and gives light to all in the candles we each hold. It is stunning in a darkened Church. The Liturgy of the Word begins with SEVEN (count them, seven) readings recounting the creation and saving actions of God. Then, the Gloria erupts as a shout of great joy. After the Gospel of the Resurrection, the liturgy of Baptism takes place, when we remember the grace of our own. We then continue with the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which is much more familiar to us.
Let us not be bothered by the “difference” in the ritual of this night, but enjoy and savor every bit of it. For our Christ is risen from the dead, and so are we, and so are we. ALLELUIA!
Prayer
Our hearts are filled with joy, oh God, as we celebrate this greatest and most important feast of the year. For we believe that Christ is risen and that he will raise us up on the last day, too.
Personal Challenge
Let us set our minds and hearts to ENJOY the Easter Vigil, and its celebration so different from what we do each Sunday of the year.
Sister Sallie Latkovich, CSJ
Ft. Myers, FL
