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Holy Saturday
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of thy dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Holy Saturday
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A Sermon by
Fr. Mead
✛
Easter Vigil 2011
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Great Vigil of Easter is the closest we come to celebrating Easter as it was by the early Church. The Vigil puts us in touch with the historical fact and impact of Jesus’ Resurrection: 1) the striking of the New Fire, the lighting of the Paschal Candle and the singing of the ancient hymn Exsultet; 2) the reading of the ancient prophecies of Christ’s victory in the epic stories of the Old Testament; 3) the Baptism of new disciples and the renewal of the congregation’s baptismal vows; and finally 4) the Litany of the Saints, the Easter Shout, and the first Mass of the Resurrection. Our service is nearly three hours, and we consider it a marathon. In the early Church, they could have many more Old Testament prophecies, together with homilies on each, as they kept the all-night vigil until the wee hours of the morning. But given our modern attention span, we are doing very well here tonight. Many tell me this Vigil seems to fly by. I agree.
I send our blessings and congratulations to little Layla Doon Zisler and her family, as she is united to Christ in his death and resurrection through her Baptism and made a member of the family of his Church. Her baptism is the occasion for each of us to renew our own baptismal promises to follow Christ.
The reason the early Christians kept this vigil with such intensity was their awareness of what Christ did on this night. Just as in the Exodus the ancient Israelites experienced the Passover from slavery in Egypt through deliverance at the Red Sea and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land, so the early Christians knew that on this night our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, delivering them (and us) from bondage to sin and death to the freedom of grace and everlasting life.
On Good Friday before sundown Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb. The work of preparing his body had to be suspended for the onset of the Sabbath Day, Saturday. They had to rest according to the commandment. It was early in the morning on the third day, Sunday, when it was still dark, that something happened just before or as Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrived at the grave to resume the work of preparing Jesus’ dead body for permanent burial. Saint Matthew says there was an earthquake, that an angel rolled away the stone over the door of tomb, and that the guards shook for fear and became like dead men. To the women, the angel said, “Do not be afraid; I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised as said. Come see the place where he lay.” As they ran to tell the disciples, Jesus met them. He told them not to fear, but to tell the apostles to go into Galilee where they would see him. There would be more meetings to come with the risen Lord. .[1]
Tonight, in communion with the early Church, we hear that first notice that Jesus is risen from the dead. There is much more to follow concerning the Resurrection. But tonight, we celebrate the act of God in overcoming death, our last enemy. Tonight, the Easter shout tells us that death has been swallowed up in victory.
What happened this night is the reason there is a Gospel, the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. What happened is the reason there is a Church. More personally, this night is the reason we can live with faith, hope and love. Tonight means that we can face death, our own death, the death of our loved ones, all death – knowing that Jesus, by dying, has pioneered the way through it. He has overcome it. By his death, he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again, he won for us everlasting life.
Therefore, on this night of nights, let us keep the feast.
Alleluia. Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Amen.
[1] St. Matthew 28:1-10.
