EASTER VIGIL
4 APRIL 2015
When
people go to graves, they usually go to remember the deceased, to pray for them,
and to recall encounters that have been significant. The women go to the grave of Jesus today,
because they did not have enough time to prepare properly the body of Jesus
before the Sabbath. As they make their
way, it is impossible to know their feelings.
However, as faithful Jews, they knew the stories we heard as part of our
Vigil tonight. They believed that God
had created the world and intended it to be good. They understood the faith of Abraham as he
responded to the God who began salvation history through him. They were grateful for God leading their
ancestors through the Red Sea into slavery.
They knew the words of the prophets who had assured their parents that
they would be forgiven, no matter how many times they had wandered away from
the Covenant. More than likely, they
were hoping that God would somehow get them through this terrible loss.
But they
were never prepared for what they were about to experience. They never expected to see an empty tomb,
with the stone rolled away. They never
expected to be told that Jesus had been raised from the dead. It will take them a while to put together the
narrative. Only with time and personal
encounters with the risen Christ would they begin to understand that everything
we heard tonight would be brought to completion in the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
On Palm
Sunday, a young man clothed in a white garment ran away naked in fear, leaving
that white garment in the hands of those who were arresting Jesus. He was running away from his baptismal
promises. Today, a young man clothed
wears a white garment and announces the good news of Christ's resurrection. He ties the experience of Christ's
resurrection with the power of Baptism.
In just a
few moments, these five Elect will go into the watery grave of the baptismal
font with Christ, and emerge with their sins forgiven, completely one with the
risen Christ. They will be clothed with
a white garment, proclaiming the resurrection to us.
Our Easter
Candle proclaims the truth of what is happening to them. Even though we lost the Garden of Eden, we
now have access to Paradise through the saving Mysteries of the Lord's death
and resurrection. When we renew our
baptismal promises, we also renew our openness to allow the resurrection of
Jesus Christ to continue to transform us.
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