Easter Vigil

April 8, 2023 

This ancient Great Vigil of Easter ritual brings us into God’s story from the beginning of time, reminding us of how God started it all with the First Word in Creation. Echoing the story of creation in Genesis, the Gospel of John opens with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  … What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”  

This beginning of John’s Gospel is the crucible in which tonight’s story finds meaning and manifests its truth to the world.  It is why we processed in the dark with the Paschal Candle proclaiming, “The Light of Christ. Thanks be to God!”

Jesus brought light into the darkest places humanity can experience. His resurrection proves that the darkness did not - and cannot ever - overcome the light of Christ.

We live in a beautiful world that is covered by too much darkness.  As our Presiding Bishop Curry said, “our world is in search of its soul.”  What the world needs, we have! By our Holy Baptism we have the power to shine the light of Christ for others to find their souls.  It is released for the good of others as we let God enter our own darkness and show us the way of light to find our own hope.  Each one of us can contribute to helping others, even our nation, find it soul in the love of God.

God started it in the beginning. What God started, God will complete through all who say “I will, with God’s help.”

God had the first Word, and God will have the last Word.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.

Amen.