He IS Risen

The Easter Vigil is a Liturgy that is absolutely filled –jam packed actually- with symbolism and ritual. As a result it can become quite easy for us to think to ourselves: what exactly is going on here? Indeed it’s been three days of such activity – of dramatic sermons, ancient prayers, music we only hear once a year, and all those special “things” that are particular only to Holy Week, that it is easy even for clergy, seminarians, and others who have studied these realities, to get so lost in it all that even we need to take a moment to remind ourselves: what is happening here? Beyond all the cues we don’t want to miss, the beautiful music, the mysterious actions, and the ancient ritual: what is happening tonight? Well really it’s simple: almighty God- the creator of all things, visible and invisible, seen and unseen, is acting…right here…right now…and he is acting in a way so magnificent and glorious that our celebration (as beautiful and choreographed as it may be, wherever we are) is but a drop in the bucket of what is really going on. What is happening? Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Not just: we continue his work, or he lives on in us, or a sentiment of devotion or piety: Jesus Christ IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!! Not he WAS raised, or he WAS risen: HE IS RISEN. Right here, right now. Through the mystery of the Church, and the three day Liturgy that we have been celebrating, God has been acting. We have walked with Christ from the Upper Room where we smelt the sweet scent of wine, spent in the company of friends – to the cross of Calvary where instead we smelt the blood of a man tortured and insulted, and where the company of friends turned to the loneliness of death and despair. But when that Easter Candle rises from the new fire we stand at that glorious moment that is so far beyond words and senses that it can only be expressed through symbolic acts: that moment when Jesus Christ conquered sin and death and rose triumphantly from the grave. So if you find yourself unable to understand exactly what is going on tonight, that’s a good sign: because who can understand an event of such divine power? This glorious event is articulated for us most clearly in the words of the Exsultet, the ancient hymn of the Church whereby this magnificent news is declared: listen closely to the words that are proclaimed. We are told to rejoice: but not only us! In fact, it was we, who asked everyone else to rejoice! The words are: rejoice heavenly powers, sing choirs of angels, exalt all creation around God’s throne! Rejoice o mother Church! Rejoice o earth! None of these words are directed to us, but rather they are OUR words, announcing to all creation – down to the very earth – to REJOICE because Jesus Christ is RISEN. How are we supposed to do that? How are we – in our simplicity and sinfulness- supposed to announce to all the powers of heaven, to the angels, to the company of saints, to the whole Church, and indeed to the earth itself, this message of Easter joy? In the Gospel that we will hear tonight it is clear that the first Easter Vigil had an attendance even smaller than the smallest one anywhere in the world: three women, and the few people who accompanied them. It was not first announced to Mary, who from the beginning of time was the Immaculate Conception, and who would one day reign forever as queen of heaven and earth. It was not announced to the twelve to whom Jesus had given the gift of the priesthood, and whose blood would go on to be the seeds of the Church. It was not announced to people of power, to people of government, or generals in the military. It was not even announced to those whose own lack of faith put him to death in the first place. It was announced to those faithful few – that core group of women – who through it all, remained always by his side. What is happening tonight? The same thing that happened 2,019 years ago- the core of his followers are again presented with the glorious truth of the resurrection, and are again instructed to announce this good news to all creation! The core of his followers are asked again the same piercing question: “why do you seek the living among the dead?” Why do we weep? Why do we ask questions and be crippled by the pains of this life, and the drama of this world – we have work to do, and it doesn’t involve us standing gazing at an empty tomb, but rather it involves us announcing to the world, to heaven, to the Church, and to the very ground on which we stand: REJOICE – ALLELUIA – for HE IS RISEN! The magnitude of what we celebrate is way too huge for us to be daunted by any human factor, because this incredible news does not end with a crucified man who came back from the dead: by breaking the chains of death, he opened the door for us to reign with him one day in heaven. Then on that last day, with the sound of the final trumpet: as he is risen: we will rise. You will rise, and I will rise. We will share this victory that he has won for us for all eternity! He will order we who sleep in death to rise up! He will declare that he is in us and we in him, and that we cannot be separated from one another! The new Adam and the new Eve – all of us- will be forever united. The Gospel says that when those women went and announced this incredible news of the Resurrection they were met with resistance. It says that many who heard their story “thought it was nonsense, and did not believe them.” As we strive to announce this joyful news, we may be met with the same reaction. So be it…because that doesn’t change what is happening tonight…Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and we have the share in his victory, because that very same spirit who raised him comes upon the water of the font, to bath us in his glory: to wash us in his love – to ignite us with his light. My dear friends don’t let the puzzlement or human experience of our lives in this world confuse you about what is happening tonight. Don’t let small numbers intimidate you regarding the mighty duty that has been entrusted to us: rather may each and every one of us get to work – right this VERY NIGHT. May all of our hearts be set on fire – to announce this incredible news to the heavenly powers, the choirs of angels, the saints around God’s throne, the Church, and to the very earth itself! What’s happening tonight? JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN: ALLELUIA!!