The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night

       Happy Easter! First, on behalf of Fr. Szolack, Fr. Olszewski, and myself, as well as Deacon Andy, Deacon Bob, and Deacon Toby, and the staff of both the parish and Our Lady of Hope Regional School, I’d like to welcome all of you to our celebration of Easter, here at Saint Agnes Church … Our Lady of Hope Parish, Blackwood …  a special welcome to any guests or family members who may be visiting us today … and welcome to all of our college students who may be home for Easter Break or Spring Break. For those of you who do not know me my name is Fr. Larry Polansky.

---

The Easter Proclamation: Exsultet – “Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven …”

First Reading: Gn 1:1 –2:2 – “God looked at everything He had made and He found it very good.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35 – “Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”

Second Reading: Gn 22:1-18 – “The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11 – “You are my inheritance, O Lord.”

Third Reading: Ex 14:15–15:1 – “The Israelites marched on dry land through the midst of the sea.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18 – “Let us sing to the Lord; He has covered Himself in glory.”

Fourth Reading: Is 54:5-14 – “With enduring love, the Lord your redeemer takes pity on you.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13 – “I will praise You, Lord, for You have rescued me.”

Fifth Reading: Is 55:1-11 – “Come to Me that you may have life. I will renew with you an everlasting covenant.”

Responsorial Psalm: Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 – “You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.”

Sixth Reading: Bar 3:9-15, 32–4:4 – “Walk toward the splendor of the Lord.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11 – “Lord, You have the words of everlasting life.”

Seventh Reading: Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28 ­– “I shall sprinkle clean water upon you and I shall give you a new heart.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 – “Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for You, my God.”

Epistle: Rom 6:3-11 – “Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 – “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

Gospel: Lk 24:1-12 – “Why do you seek the Living One among the dead?”

Communion Antiphon: 1 Cor 5:7-8 – “Christ our Passover has been sacrificed; therefore let us keep the feast with unleavened bread of purity and truth, alleluia.”

---

The “Mother of all feasts” is the title given by many to this night. The image that this title awakens, for some, might be that of a “family reunion:” for example, several generations are present ... the members gather around a campfire ... family bonds are renewed ... stories are told and retold.

So think about it! Does this sound at all familiar? We began this evening after sunset around a fire and we carried the light into a darkened church. No sooner do we settle into our place than someone with a good voice (in my case, maybe a mediocre one) chants (or reads) a solemn proclamation – much like a mayoral proclamation. “This is the night” we hear – the holiest of all nights. Now, we swap family stories. Some we have heard before, some we may never have heard or may have forgotten. We hear of God’s creation of Adam and Eve and all creation and we are told that God saw and remarked that “it was good.” If we were to look through the missalette, we would see that the Church has seven (7) Old Testament readings before the New Testament Reading, the Epistle tonight. Many are thankful that we don’t read them all. Sometimes, in some churches, they recall and squirm at the story of Abraham’s test of faith, of his son Isaac, we watch the Israelites fleeing the Pharaoh’s armies, and marvel at their escape by walking through the Red Sea, and when the armies try to follow, the wheels of their chariots are mired in mud.

So, we sit back and enjoy. We stand up and we join in. By now you should be well aware that it’s going to be a long one tonight. And I suspect that the thought may occur to some – we’ve already heard enough stories, we don’t need a middle-aged Pastor to tell us anymore. You didn’t know I am a mind-reader, did you? Was that a groan I heard? I read in a liturgical journal that the length of this service discourages some from attending – no surprise there. But then we are told that the plus side of all this is that probably more than any other liturgy the people who attend this one are here because they want to be. And that describes all of you, right?

As I related to you at the Palm Sunday Masses, I was raised in the Byzantine Ruthenian Rite. The Vigil or the Resurrection Services, as they called them, included processing around the church three times and all seven readings ... there were never any shortcuts. The Vigil went on until one or two in the morning of Easter Sunday ... five or six hours long ... and then the blessing of the foods for Easter took place after that.

But I digress. Now, it’s time for coming attractions. And you will be happy to hear that you get to play a more active role. Hopefully, some new memories will be created that will impel you to come back to future Easter vigils. We process over to the baptismal font but we don’t go alone. We invite a roster of saints to accompany us. As each saint’s name is called out, we respond, “Pray for us.” The Hispanic peoples have a variation on this. As each name is called out, the congregation answers, “Presente.” It is as though the saint hears his or her name and asks, did you call me? And then answers, “Presente” ... “Here I am.” And after we arrive at the baptismal font, we direct our focus on baptism, on those who are being baptized tonight, and perhaps we remember our own. We are asked several questions, to which we answer, “I do.” Let me warn you, whenever you are asked a question in church and the answer to which is “I do,” ... be very, very careful. Did I just see some of the married folks nodding their heads in agreement? Maybe they remember the question “Do you take … for your lawful….” The “I do” answer involves not just that moment, but the rest of your life. So be sure to mean it. The ceremony is followed by a refreshing sprinkling of water. Baptismal water is stirred up, not only on us … but in us.

The highlight of a family reunion is their shared meal. We look forward to sharing one shortly around this table with newest members of the family … make sure you congratulate  them and continue to pray for them. It is my prayerful wish that you all have a holy, happy, healthy and safe Easter and Easter season!