Excerpt from Easter at the Mission (Sula): Easter Vigil
(drawing by Uliana Yanovich)
What is Easter Vigil?
A vigil is a period of waiting. Easter Vigil is considered
the greatest of all vigils and reflects the waiting that the disciples and
especially the women who followed Jesus did after Joseph of Arimathea, having
gotten permission from Pontius Pilate, laid Jesus in the tomb. They waited a
very long time: three days. With Easter Vigil, the Triduum of Holy Thursday,
Good Friday and Saturday Vigil is brought to a close. The waiting will end on
Easter morning with the Resurrection.
That will be joyful. For now, though, we all wait. In
sadness. In the dark.
Waiting before the Vigil
The church is always dark on Easter Vigil. I am among the
first there, waiting not just for the Resurrection that is to come but also for
the people who will be coming to wait together—they with me and I with them. I
like greeting the people as they come in.
Often, I will know with whom I should be waiting. That,
after all, is my mission.
The Mass
The Easter Vigil Mass is unique. It is not like any other
Mass during the year.
The Vigil Mass is also complex—and rich. It goes from dark
to light, from people who cannot see each other to people welcoming new members
into the body of Christ. The Mass has four elements. These are (1) the Service
of Light, (2) the Liturgy of the Word, (3) Baptism, and (4) the Liturgy of the
Eucharist.
The Service of Light starts outside, around a fire. The parishioners
surround the priest, who stands by the fire. The fire warms the parishioners
and lights up the sky. Then, he lights the Paschal candle. The Paschal candle reminds
us that Jesus is the light of the world. From the Paschal candle several
parishioners light their candles and then pass on the flame to each other until
all candles are lit. The priest then proceeds into the church to the altar,
followed by the parishioners with their lights. I wait inside, in the dark, until
they return with their lit candles showing them the way. The first part of the
Mass is continued in the dark, with the only light coming from the candles.
The Liturgy of the Word recounts the history of salvation
with seven readings from the Old
Testament and two readings from the New
Testament (one from the apostles and one from the Gospels). The homily
usually focuses on the mysteries of salvation.
Baptism is always a very special part of the Easter Vigil
Mass. At this time, both babies and people who have completed the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults (RCIA) are baptized. For the adults, the Sacrament of
Confirmation follows the Sacrament of Baptism.
The Mass concludes with the Eucharist. For the RCIA
catechumens who have just been baptized and confirmed, the Eucharist becomes
their first communion. A special night indeed, both for the new members of the
parish and for all the parishioners welcoming new members.
A special night, too, for all it symbolizes in Catholic
spirituality—salvation, misterium/mystery,
and great love.
Photograph by Lisa Lavagnino
Dismissal
The Vigil Mass ends late, but the waiting continues. It has
been a long Mass, and everyone has gone home. I have completed my mission for
the evening. Tomorrow a new day—a joyous day will dawn. For now, though, I
sleep because I am tired. I understand how it was that the apostles fell asleep
in the garden. I marvel that the women were able to keep vigil for so long.
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For more posts about Sula and her books, click HERE.
photo by Stacey Gentry
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