EASTER VIGIL: AWAIT FOR THE RISING OF THE SON OF GOD

EASTER VIGIL – A - (Rom 6:3-11; Math 28:1-10)

Theme: Alleluia is our Song and Alleluia is our Life

Reflection:
- The only greatest feast of Christianity is ‘the Resurrection of Jesus Christ’. Although we celebrate Christmas with the equal importance, as for the knowledge and life of the Church goes, it is this feast ‘the culmination of the salvation of humanity with the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus’ which has the prominence and priority. It is because, Jesus has entered into the world (Christmas) with the plan of fulfilling the salvific design of God by dying and rising from the dead (Paschal mystery – Easter). If the latter was not to be there, there is no full significance for his arrival into the world.
- Moreover, this ‘Resurrection of Jesus from the dead’ is that which distinguishes Christian religion from that of others. We may not compare our priority and our faith with that of other religions but we can always, with the rigorous zeal, give the testimony of the joy of resurrection of our Lord with our lives. We are not here to prove our faith but to live our faith. By living we already give a biggest testimony of our faith. People have to see our life and confirm themselves that we live this joy of the resurrection of Jesus in our day-to-day life. That would be the biggest proof that Jesus has truly risen from the dead.
- Very aptly the Christians are called ‘the People of Easter’ and ‘Alleluia People’. And in one word, ‘Joyful People’. This joy is not a mere joy of Christ’s coming into the world but the joy of the mission of Salvation He has accomplished (from the cross) through which He has manifested the Love of God for humanity and finally Joy of ‘Resurrection’ through which He has proved that the power of the evil or death cannot do any harm or any damage with the life that God offers in Christ. Therefore, this ‘Easter Joy’ has no end.
- In the vigil mass of Easter, we make immediate preparations for meeting the Risen Christ. As the part of these preparations we have whole salvation history reviewed and re-lived. Not even for Christmas we do so much of revision of God’s marvelous and wonderful acts for the humanity. Therefore, we see again how the Church considers the resurrection of Jesus as the basis and foundation of Christian life.
- The FIRST part of today’s liturgy is: New Fire – the Light of the First Day.
o This new fire signifies the Light that God has created in the First Day of Creation and thus dispels the darkness that was dominating till that time. It reminds us that God is Light and He gives this light whenever his people are in the darkness of fear and perplexity and we see the clear example of God standing amidst his people as the Poll of Fire at the great redemptive work.
o The procession we make into the Church with the new fire signifies the ‘entrance of light’ into the world (John chapter one). It reminds us that Jesus is the Light of the world who shows the clear way to the people to walk in the right path. ‘The First Day of the Week’ (Mt 28:1 – today’s Gospel), like that of the first day of creation, is the great moment of completion of the salvation history in which Christ shines out (stands out) as the ‘Rising Sun’ dispelling the dark power of the world.
o The candle that each one of us enkindles with the new fire signifies the ‘descent of the Holy Spirit’ upon the Apostles. The fiftieth day (after seven weeks), Pentecost, is again the ‘first day’ of the new creation in the Holy Spirit. It reminds us that the Spirit is the Fire (light) of every heart that is open to the truth of salvation as the work of God the Father in His Son Jesus Christ.
o Therefore, the light of creation was on the first day, ‘the rising of Sun’, the Resurrection of Jesus ‘the light of the world’ is on the first day and finally, the light of the Holy Spirit that descended upon the Apostles is again the first day. And so, this is the ‘First Day of Salvation’. And this is the reason why the Church celebrates this feast as the primordial feast of Christian life in, for and around which everything revolves. And this is the reason why again Church proposes the liturgy of the light as the starting point of today’s celebration.
o In the ‘hymn of the Easter Candle’, the Church sings and praises the incomparable and wondrous deeds of God the Trinity in the plan and history of Salvation. We partake and live these moments of joy in the vigil of Easter.
- The SECOND part of today’s liturgy is: the Word of God: the Church very meaningfully celebrates the Word of God today in particular way by recalling how through the various stages of salvific design God has extended his tremendous love to his people. We see how the ‘powerful presence and immense love’ of God is revealed and fulfilled in and through Christ and this theme runs through all these readings:
o In the first reading that speaks of ‘creation’, we observe, how God has called everything into existence through His Word (Christ who exists from the beginning with God) and He saw ‘everything is good’. In Christ everything is made perfect and good.
o In the second reading that speaks of ‘Abraham’s sacrifice of his only son Isaac’, we observe, how God has sacrificed His Only Begotten Son for the salvation of humanity. Christ has offered himself as the sacrifice of expiation for the sins of humanity.
o In the third reading that speaks of ‘crossing the red sea’ we observe, how God has opened the way of salvation to the people of Israel and now Christ has become the ‘Way’ for all who believe in him. Christ is the way amidst the waters of the world which swallows the man into the depths of destruction.
o In the fourth reading that speaks of ‘intimate union between God and his people’, we observe, how God has make this new alliance with his people in Christ, the new bridegroom. Christ has given his life for his people and thus showed his ultimate bond of love between God and his people renovated in the blood of Christ.
o In the fifth reading that speaks of ‘providence of God’, we observe, how God calls to himself all the people who are in search of truth. As the rain that goes deep into the earth and makes it fruitful so also, Christ who is grace (rain) of God came on to the earth and has gone into (death and burial) earth makes the earth fruitful with the seekers of Truth.
o In the sixth reading that speaks of ‘living in the knowledge of God’, we observe, how the whole mystery of God and His designs are manifested in Christ who is the ‘Wisdom’ of God.
o In the seventh reading that speaks of ‘purification by the holy water of God’, we observe, how God has fulfilled his promise in Christ from whose side ‘flowed’ the water to cleanse the humanity and to purify it.
- The THIRD part of today’s liturgy is: Re-living of Baptism
o Baptism is the participation in the life of Christ. It is the door to enter into the life that God offers to man through Christ in the Holy Spirit. The life of Jesus Christ on earth is fully realized in his Paschal Mystery, that is, in His Passion, death and Resurrection. One who desires to embrace this life of grace has to partake in the same mystery of Christ. We re-live this truth in the liturgy we celebrate today. In this we have three great moments:
o In the first moment we have the ‘litany of all saints’: Saints are the ones who have participated in the mystery of Christ in the extraordinary way to follow Him. They have lived for him and offered their lives for him until their last breathe in spite all the hardships they have come across. By singing the praise of all saints we recall to our minds that the Baptism sanctifies us and makes us the children of God and partakers of God’s glory as saints, now, living the same Glory for which they have strived by living their Baptismal virtue.
o In the second moment we have the ‘blessing of water’ by recalling the merciful deeds of God through the life of his people and this water is blessed with the Easter Candle signifying the presence and effect of Risen Jesus in those who are being baptized. St. Paul says that if we die with Christ we also rise up with Him.
o In the third moment we have the ‘renewing of the baptismal vows’: in the baptismal vows we renounce all that is evil and take up/accept all that is God’s. This recalls to our mind the call of Jesus “If you want to follow me you renounce yourself and all that you have and take up your cross and follow me”. We make the promise that we renounce the Evil and its inclinations to sin and we promise to accept and to believe in God the Trinity, the Church and Eternal life that is to come.
- The FOURTH part of today’s liturgy is: the Eucharist
o Eucharist we celebrate today reminds us of God’s ultimate action in Christ for the salvation of humanity. It’s is the thanksgiving sacrifice of Christ and as we commemorate this Eucharist we give thanks to God for the wonderful life He has given to us in Jesus Christ.
o We receive new life and new strength. That’s why we have new hosts consecrated. All the old ones have to be consumed before. There is not used any of the previous hosts. This signifies that we have started new life with the new energy received through the New Sacrifice of Easter.

Reflection of the Readings
St. Paul’s letter to the Romans
- St. Paul constructs a parallelism between the death-burial of Jesus and the Baptism. The common element in both of these is: sepulcher. As Jesus is gone into the sepulcher (entering into the tomb by his burial) and risen into new life, so also the believer who goes into the sepulcher (entering into the font of baptism by his participation) and thus rises as a new creature. With the Christ’s entering into the tomb and rising from it again to the life of Glory, the death is given new meaning and death appears no more than a door to enter into new life of glory.
- He also reminds us the fact that the old man (the man before believing Christ) is dead, dead to the desires of the world and to the sin and new man (after the baptism) is born, born with the desires of the Spirit and with the grace to be a new creature.
- Therefore, the Paschal Vigil reminds us that we are no more of the old nature but new creatures who are confirmed with the mind and will of Christ so that it is not we who live but Christ who lives in us.

Gospel of Mathew
- The mystery of Resurrection of Jesus is no more a mystery but a revelation of God’s blessing to the one who obeys and follows Him to the last moment of his life.
- Good News of an Angel: In every great event of salvation history there is the presence/announcement of angel. We see this at the very first moment of Jesus’ birth in the womb of Virgin Mary and now at the very last moment of Jesus’ Resurrection there is angel’s good news with the similar words: ‘do not fear’, and announcing the joyful news that He is Risen and He is not there.
- Empty Tomb: Another important proof of Jesus being not there. It’s not impossible for God to raise Jesus from the dead. It did not happen in a sudden way. It was indicated and predicated by Jesus long before his death. Indeed, He has foretold his disciples that He would be handed over to Jewish authority and they would put him to death but He would rise again on the third day. The ‘author of life’ cannot be in the tomb.
- Women’s Testimony: It’s unbelievable and unacceptable in the Jewish community that women speak out something like this. Women are considered to be out of public appearance and are not eligible to talk in the public. That is reason why people, especially Jewish authority, did not believe the resurrection of Jesus just because it is first told by the women. But Jesus has chosen the women to be the first witnesses of His Risen Glory. Jesus has always given the prominence for the women. We see how the women were following Jesus from the beginning of his ministry (Lk 8:1-3). God always chooses ‘strange, unknown and incomprehensible ways’ to reveal his mysteries. In the mystery of Resurrection, it is the role of women, which served as the proof. Those who did not believe in the ‘role of women in the society’ cannot believe also in their testimony and thus they have buried the mystery of resurrection.
- The only force that keep the story of salvation alive and active and the only power that keeps the faith still moving forward till the ends of the earth and till the end of time is: THE FORCE AND POWER OF RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. ALLELUIA. ALLELUIA.