The Easter Vigil is a reflective, transition time. The evening begins in the dark and quiet.  There is a “could-it-be?” quality to the readings that defines the edge of hope.

The first reading from Genesis (22:1-18) recounts the story about Abraham being prepared to sacrifice his only son at God’s request. The story foretells God’s own willingness to sacrifice his beloved Son. God rewarded Abraham’s faithfulness and spared both Abraham and Isaac the grief. There was rescue, if not resurrection.

Ezekiel (37:1-14) tells us of dead, dry bones into which God breathed life. The climax of this passage reads, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people… And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.

In the gospel, Matthew (28:1-10) tells us that the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. The women believe the words of the angel, and go to tell his disciples, though he is not here and they have not yet seen the risen Christ. The angel’s message and the empty tomb fills them with hope.

**

The community of the faithful this evening in 2021 is like the women at the empty tomb. We accept the word of the angel. We ache for the news of the resurrection to be true. Our earnest prayer is “Let it be so”. We live as though it was true… but we don’t yet see Jesus.

**

In Carrie Newcomer’s song, Lean Toward the Light (here is the YouTube link with the lyrics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxAUmNjWaIs * ) one of her intriguing lines is, “keep practicing resurrection”. Although we live with the “captivity” and pain of pandemic, of racism, of inequality and our own personal failures, we share in the work to alleviate this imprisonment, we move forward in the hope and joy of the resurrection. We try to love one another as I have loved you. We “practice resurrection” in the way we live.

**

In the renewal of our baptismal vows this evening, we read an echo of Paul’s letter to the Roman’s, (6:3-11) we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

We know that we will all die as Christ, himself, did, some of us in long pain and suffering, some of us slipping away or going suddenly. Baptism and Christ's resurrection invites us to live as though death is not the end. It is only a transition to newness of life. And we live faithfully in the hope of resurrection and salvation with a vision of the risen Christ in our hearts and minds. And tonight, as the women must have done as they heard the angel’s words, he is risen…. We pray “let it be so.” 

Christ is risen, Aleluia

Michael

*Used with permission from Carrie Newcomer, who added “it would be an extra gift to me to have my website listed with my name (www.carrienewcomer.com). Blessings. Warmly. Carrie”.   Info@carrienewcomer.com