Easter Vigil (Year B)
Gen 1:1, 26-31; Gen 22:1-18; Ex 14:15-15:1; Ex 15; Is 54:5-14; Is 55:1-11; Is 12:5-14; Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4; Ez 36:16-28; Rom 6:3-11; Mk 16:1-8
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad (Psalm 118:24)
A kindergarten teacher was telling her students the story of Jesus. In her class was a little boy who came from a non-Christian family. He was paying very close attention to the story because it was all new to him. As the teacher told how Jesus was condemned and nailed to the cross to die the boy's countenance fell and he murmured, "No! That's too bad!" The teacher then went on to tell how on the third day Jesus rose from the dead and came back to life. The boy's eyes lit up with delight and he exclaimed, "Totally awesome!"
Were we not like that boy on Good Friday? On Good Friday we heard the story of the suffering and death of Jesus. Many of us felt, "No! That's too bad!" Today we hear the rest of the story and again with the little boy we can now exclaim "Yes! Totally awesome!"
Today with great joy we sing, "Halleluiah". We had reserved that joyous acclamation for today. Let us sing then with great joy, “Halleluiah”. Truly, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24).
We are the people of Easter and Halleluiah is our song
We need to look into the reading of today’s liturgy in the light of the Resurrection of Jesus. From the very moment of the creation of humanity God always sought ways to bring about wholeness in His creation. The creation of the world and of humanity (Gen 1), the abundant blessings of Abraham (Gen 22), the liberation of Israel from slavery of Egypt (Ex 14), the restoration of Israel (Is 54:55; Bar 3; Ez 36). The Resurrection of Jesus becomes the climax of the proclamation that our God is a God of life and his plan of establishing wholeness is realised.
We are the people of Easter and Halleluiah is our song
The heart of Christianity beats on the light of Resurrection of Jesus. Jesus during his public ministry referred frequently to the resurrection. His disciples hardly understood what it really meant. For the Jewish world the concept ‘resurrection of the dead’, was new and therefore when Jesus appeared before them, we can very well see the disciples doubting their own master whom they had seen dead some time ago. It was indeed mystery for them. Gradually, through the interventions of Jesus by his apparitions, their faith was rejuvenated in the person of Jesus It built up their faith, made them persons, courageous and ready to face any eventuality for their master.
We are the people of Easter and Halleluiah is our song
His dying on the cross in reality was a passage to new life. For Jesus his death was a fulfilment of his Father’s will as he accepted it in total obedience that led to his victory. Therefore, dear friends, death is not the last word for us Christians. We have a life that is promised to us by Jesus. Therefore, we say, ‘We are the people of Easter and Halleluiah is our song’.
Dear friends,
For many of us Easter may be a celebration in a closed set up due to the Covid 19 return. Many of us are not able to visit the near and dear ones and share our Easter greetings. It is really painful to see many people not celebrating Easter, as they have lost their dear ones due to this pandemic. We might ask ‘when is our Easter?’ ‘We are still in Good Fridays of our lives’. We are Christians and we are people of hope. Patience and perseverance are the two basic principles that govern us in our journey of faith. Let us remain steadfast in our prayer and upright in our Christian living. One day the desolation will pass and the Light of Christ will shine on us brightly.
We are the people of Easter and Halleluiah is our song
Happy Easter
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