Easter Vigil
There are more movies than I can count where the ending seems too good to be true: the awkward guy gets the gorgeous girl; the bomb is defused in the last second before it explodes; the lies of the villain are exposed and the persecuted hero is vindicated. We’ve all seen it in movies, we’ve all read it in books. But when it comes to real life, very rarely do those things happen. Life, it seems is more tragic than fiction could ever create.
But tonight is not an example of tragedy. Tonight, in fact, is when we celebrate something that is too good to be true, but is true, nonetheless. No one, save perhaps the Blessed Mother, would have dared to hope that Jesus would rise from the dead. Even the holy women who went to the tomb, weren’t going because they thought Jesus might rise. They were going to complete the mourning rites which had to be suspended due to the celebration of Passover on the previous Friday night and Saturday. In fact, none of the disciples can believe the news that Jesus rose from the dead until they see Him and recognize Him.
All of our Old Testament readings from Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, and Ezekiel were all examples of stories that looked like they were going to have a happy ending, but didn’t. Adam and Eve are created by God as the crowning of His creation; they are made in the image and likeness of God. Yet, as the story continues, we know that they disobey God and put mankind on a trajectory of pain, suffering, and death.
The Chosen People are doubting God as the Egyptians grow closer. Then God, through Moses, splits the Red Sea in two and they pass through it, even as the water closes in on the Egyptians who follow and destroys Pharaoh’s army. But, we all know that story. Not long after they sing their song of freedom, which was sung by our choir after the reading from Exodus, they once again doubt God, and worship false gods.
Isaiah and Ezekiel both prophesy about a time when Israel will be restored to glory, when God will shower His love upon them and give them a new heart and new life. God promises to take care of Israel, give them peace, and forgive them of their sins for the sake of His Name. But even after the Israelites return to the Promised Land from their exile in Babylon, after they realize that they were sent away because of their infidelity to God, they still turn away from God, and eventually lose their land and their sovereignty to the pagan Romans. All of those Old Testament stories have so much potential, so much build up, but never seem to come to the desired climax.
And that new life in Christ, made possible by the Resurrection, will be imparted through the waters of Baptism, which Christ Himself makes holy, to Alexis, Brooklyn, and Camryn. They will put on Christ and have the opportunity to live a life free of grave sin, free of separation from God, free from Satan.
The new life of Christ will also be perfected in Christine as she makes her profession of faith and as she and Alexis are confirmed and receive the Eucharist for the first time. They will be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit not only to claim that new life for themselves, but also to share it with those they meet by word and example. And for those of us who are baptized, for those of us who are confirmed, we, too, have that new life of Christ in us, and tonight we can start afresh in living that new life.
Tonight, as we come to the empty tomb of Christ to worship Jesus and His Resurrection, leave at the tomb all that is not of God. Do not be afraid to place all your sins, your worries, your fallenness at the place of death, and walk away tonight with the Risen Christ, who offers to us the best ending that we could ever imagine: the new life of the Resurrection.
