Χριστός Ανέστη, Aληθώς ανέστη!

A blessed Easter to you all!

We had a truly beautiful Easter vigil Mass here in my parish of Leigh-on-Sea. 

This is the high-point of the Church's year and it is marked by the longest liturgy (public prayer) we celebrate. It is divided into numerous parts.

My wife & I absolutely love this liturgy and always attend it. It feels like coming out of the long trek through the desert of our Lenten observances. As we sit in the darkened church, we are awaiting our master's return with our lamps full and burning, so that He will find us awake and seat us at His table (cf. Luke 12:35ff).

The atmosphere in the church is special and exciting: the holy water fonts are drained, all the lights are out and the tabernacle is empty. The children whisper excitedly about the darkened church. There is a tangible sense of anticipation. The liturgy begins outside the church in darkness; darkness, which represents all darkness, and all the meanings of darkness - devoid of light; evil thoughts, motivations, deeds; all that is hidden and secret, deceitful and dishonest, divisive and abusive, immoral and sinful. It's the darkness of our world, and the darkness in our heart.

The Church was lit with an orange glow from the Easter fire:

Then we begin the liturgy of light. This symbolises the light of revelation breaking into the darkness of the world and overcoming it, illuming it with the Good News of Jesus. Breaking into our hearts and minds and filling them with the truth of His revelation about our reality.

The Paschal candle is lit from the blessed fire and processes up the nave, lighting the congregations own candles as it processes. Father Kevin chants three times "Christ our Light!" and everyone responds: "Thanks be to God!"

Then the Exsultet is proclaimed by Mgsr Kevin:

The Paschal candle is an ancient tradition which appears to have very ancient origins in Italy, Gaul, Spain and perhaps, from the reference by St. Augustine (De Civ. Dei, XV, xxii), in Africa. The Liber Pontificalis attributes to Pope Zosimus (died 418) its introduction in the local church in Rome. The regularity of the metrical cursus of the Exsultet would lead us to place the date of its composition perhaps as early as the fifth century, and not later than the seventh. The earliest manuscripts in which it appears are those of the three Gallican Sacramentaries: the Bobbio Missal (7th century).

We all sat in the glow of our candles listening to nine readings from Scripture, each accompanied by a Psalm. There are seven readings from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. The reading of the Word of God is the fundamental element of the Easter vigil.

After the last reading from the Old Testament, the candles are lit and the bells rung as we sing our Glory to God. Now we are ready to hear the New Testament, word in the light of Christ, and the Good News, “He has been raised!” At this point in the liturgy, we are prepared to be exultant with joy at the resurrection of Jesus - the victory of our God over sin and death - for us.

Next comes the Liturgy of Baptism. We had four new members (catechumens) for our church to welcome, thanks be to God!

When there is so much apathy in society and so much negative press about the Church, it is wonderful that our community here in Leigh-on-Sea continues to attract new members and grow.

After all of this, Mass resumes with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It's the most joyful Eucharist of the year I think and made all the more special for the context of this special liturgy.

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Paschal feast as memorial of God's act of salvation 1363-1364

1363 In the sense of Sacred Scripture the memorial is not merely the recollection of past events but the proclamation of the mighty works wrought by God for men.184 In the liturgical celebration of these events, they become in a certain way present and real. This is how Israel understands its liberation from Egypt: every time Passover is celebrated, the Exodus events are made present to the memory of believers so that they may conform their lives to them.

1364 In the New Testament, the memorial takes on new meaning. When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ's Passover, and it is made present the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present.185 "As often as the sacrifice of the Cross by which 'Christ our Pasch has been sacrificed' is celebrated on the altar, the work of our redemption is carried out."186

Twofold Paschal mystery 654

654 The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life. This new life is above all justification that reinstates us in God's grace, "so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."526 Justification consists in both victory over the death caused by sin and a new participation in grace.527 It brings about filial adoption so that men become Christ's brethren, as Jesus himself called his disciples after his Resurrection: "Go and tell my brethren."528 We are brethren not by nature, but by the gift of grace, because that adoptive filiation gains us a real share in the life of the only Son, which was fully revealed in his Resurrection.

We finished by belting out the Regina caeli!