An Easter Vigil Reflection
Storytelling is an art, helping us understand ourselves and each other.
The Easter Vigil, the culmination of the Triduum, is the ultimate in Storytelling. At the Easter Vigil, we hear nine Stories with important words in each that lead us from darkness to our Risen Christ.
The First Story thrillingly describes Creation:
When God created the heavens and the earth,
The earth was a formless void
And darkness covered the face of the deep
While the Spirit of God swept over the face of the waters,
Then God said, “Let there be light”
How often have we felt that darkness has covered us, and we’re living in a formless void. God, the great Creator knew then and knows now how tremendously powerful God’s Light is.
Our second Story offers Abraham as a model to us when he says, Here I am. How important for each of us to say to God we are here, ready to do God’s will.
Moses is the hero of the third Story, leading God’s people to believe in the Lord as they were saved. Let us believe.
The fourth and fifth Story read like poetry as God tells us My love will never leave you and Listen, so that you may live. Comforting words, knowing God is right beside us, right inside us.
The sixth Story offers these words: where there is wisdom… there is light and peace. Look for the light.
The seventh Story offers these gifts: A new heart I will give you and a new Spirit I will put within you. Receive these gifts.
Our eighth Story urges us:
Know that Christ, being raised from the dead,
Will never die again…..So you must consider yourself dead to sin, once for all, And alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Our Lenten Journey leads us here, to this new life in Christ.
The final Story is the Gospel of Mark, and we learn along with the women who went to the tomb that Jesus has been raised. Alleluia!!
Nine powerful Stories. I encourage you to read these Stories, find what words bring you Light and then, live like you truly have the Risen Christ in you and spread your Light to the world.