Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) - Reflection

The magnificent Easter Vigil brings together all the stories and symbols of who we are as a people redeemed in Christ. Its purpose is to remind each of us where we are in the story of salvation and what it means that, in Pope Francis’ terms, Jesus is the First Step of Reconciliation taken by God (Evangelii Gaudium 24). We discover what God has wanted for and with us from “the beginning” and how we let sin become a barrier between us and God. However, God has pursued this dream of loving communion with us ever since and chose a people from whom would come the Redeemer of all. Through Mary’s cooperation with the Holy Spirit, the Redeemer became flesh—God’s love incarnated, reaching out to us and tearing down the walls of sin that separate us.

We discover that we were created to be in intimate communion with God and so it is no surprise that we thirst for this communion, that it is our deepest longing, and that our souls are not at rest until we rest in God. While we are enslaved to sin like the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, we are living in darkness; but light comes through Christ and we see our way to freedom and a new land of promise. As we take the initiative to spread that light, it overcomes the darkness, and the world is made new again.

If we are fortunate, at the Easter Vigil we also witness the Baptism of neophytes—adults who have chosen to follow the light of Christ. By their witness, they challenge each of us to ask what conscious decision we have made as adults to follow and proclaim the light of Christ.

The Good News that God has found us and has made a Way for us finally to make our way back to communion cannot be kept to ourselves. This joyful news begs to be shared. Let us go forth and proclaim this Good News with an “alleluia” in our step!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! He lives on in his Body, the Church! Alleluia!