Easter Vigil - A Homily from Fr. Dom

Fr. Dom explores the significance of the Easter Vigil liturgy and the journey of those being initiated into the Catholic Church. It emphasizes the power and meaning of liturgy as a gift from God and a response to His gifts. The symbolism and progression of the Easter Vigil are discussed, highlighting the transition from chaos to order and the anticipation of Jesus' arrival. The importance of baptism and confirmation, as well as the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, are also explored. His homily  concludes with a focus on community support and the mission to bring the light of Christ to the world.

Takeaways

• Liturgy is a powerful gift from God that holds deep meaning and symbolism.
• The Easter Vigil represents a journey from chaos to order and the anticipation of Jesus' arrival.
• Baptism and confirmation are significant sacraments in the Catholic faith.
• Community support and the mission to bring the light of Christ to the world are essential aspects of the Catholic faith.

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Transcript

James Caldwell (00:04.11)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is risen, hallelujah, hallelujah.

I've been waiting for this night for a very long time and I know there are some here with us who are going to be fully initiated into the Holy Catholic Church that have been waiting for almost a year.

So what a great celebration that we have here tonight. God bless the Lord. God bless the many gifts he bestows upon us, most especially his resurrection. So many gifts. We get to enter into a very special night, a very special, beautiful, powerful liturgy, the most powerful liturgy in the church calendar. Liturgy is a gift given to us by God.

And really there's not much of a homily that needs to be said because we're following the liturgy of this great night. Everything from the fire outside to the procession of when we leave and everything that happens in the middle. Words don't need to be said. You enter into the liturgy and tonight's night, Easter Vigil, it speaks for you. That's how powerful the liturgy is. What a great gift. Liturgy is not something that is made by man. It is not an ideology. It is a gift.

given to us by God. Every movement that we celebrate tonight, every candle, every incense, every gesture, every word spoken is soaked in meaning. What we celebrate is not something that men have made. Liturgy is a gift by God. Because we owe him something, don't we? Our whole entire lives.

James Caldwell (01:52.494)
And He dies on the cross for us, descends into hell, He rises, defeats death and saves us and opens the gates of heaven and give us the great Catholic Church with all the sacraments and the graces that we need and our response to Him is worship. And so He gives us the liturgy in the church that we enter into and the priests provide this for you along with the music and along with the altar servers. And that you participate as well too. You come to the altar of the Lord. What a great gift.

And the liturgy we celebrate is packed with meaning, isn't it? When we were outside, that represents creation in many ways. Why? Because we're outside and it was drizzling and it was cold and it was windy and it was dark and we had no shelter. And if we stayed out there, we would perish if we didn't have food and shelter. What is that? That is the beginning. That is chaos. That is Genesis. That's the creation.

Because without God's creation, it's nothing but chaos outside. Then the fire was lit and it was blessed and there's light and there is warmth. The beginning of creation, God sets everything into motion. But we're still outside in chaos. Yet there was a light that was lit, the great Paschal candle. And as we process from the chaos of outside, we come into God's house. There's shelter. There's no more wind, there's no more cold.

We're coming into something beautiful. We're coming into God's creation, following the light of Christ. We don't know where to go in the darkness, but Jesus shows us the way. And so we process into his church, and we stop three times, professing the light of Christ. And we come into his holy sanctuary, a place of peace, a place of joy. God is bringing order to chaos. But we're not there yet, are we? Because...

All the candles have been extinguished, and then what do we enter into? Many readings. Many readings. Of what? The Old Testament. Jesus has not come on the scene yet. And so when the candles are lit, we're brought back into darkness. Where are we now? We are in the desert. We have left Egypt. And so we're waiting.

James Caldwell (04:09.518)
And so maybe the seven readings were causing you a little bit of irritation and you were uncomfortable. Imagine what they felt in the desert waiting and waiting. Well, maybe it's the next reading we get to enter into the New Testament. No, there's another Old Testament reading. Maybe it's the next one. It's the next one. We're in the desert. They were waiting too. And so we wait in darkness, but we're still soaked with the word of God in the Old Testament. Then after our last reading, what happens? Burst of light.

The Gloria, what we haven't even chanted in such a long time is now proclaimed with all the bells. The candles are lit. We're flooded with light. Jesus has come on the scene. We enter into the New Testament. We hear a powerful reading from St. Paul talking about baptism. It wipes away original sin, bringing us into the family of God. St. Paul was such confidence. The Lord is risen. We fear nothing.

And then a great gospel about Jesus rising from the dead. Without the resurrection, where would we be? Oh, but we just don't stop there, do we? Because something is going to happen after this homily. Those who will be baptized are going to be called forward. We process to the front. If you noticed, when we process to end, those who have not been baptized did not carry a candle.

yet, for they still have original sin on their soul, but that's going to change forever. So in just a few moments, they will be baptized. What a gift. Then after baptism, they'll be called back forward to the front of the altar, and they will be joined with those who have already been baptized by another faith, but have been recognized by the Catholic Church. And then everyone will be confirmed, sealed with the Holy Spirit, just like Pentecost.

filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, the fruits and the gifts. So that they can do what? That they can go to all nations and proclaim the gospel and teach and bring others into the church so that they too may be baptized or confirmed. So that they too can receive the sacraments and the most holy Eucharist. Oh what joy tonight, what celebration. But it doesn't stop there. For then what do we prepare for after they have been confirmed?

James Caldwell (06:31.534)
but the holy sacrifice of the mass, the great Eucharist, the center source, the summit of our faith, those who are here with us. You will finally be able to join us at the table of the Lord and receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. Oh, what great joy, what great happiness. And we as a community, we get to celebrate with them, remembering our baptism.

Remembering the thanks that we give to God as we celebrate the Mass here.

You have journeyed many miles and it's been an honor for me and those who have participated in your preparation process for almost a year to walk with you, to guide you. And throughout this journey, this might have had many questions. You might have had many questions, maybe doubts, but you have so many people here supporting you and praying for you.

So we come here gathering to celebrate with you your full initiation into the Catholic faith. That is the body of Christ. You'll be united with every single Catholic in every single church all around the world. The universal church. So any Catholic church you go to, wherever it is, you are welcome. Oh, we celebrate great joy basking in the Holy Trinity that has been bestowed upon us in the great liturgy of this Easter vigil.

So as we more deeply enter in today's celebration, let us once again bring that great joy of the resurrection into our hearts. That's the Holy Spirit. To go out into this world that is dark in many ways, for you have the light of Christ, you are unstoppable. To bring the love of Christ to those who are in much need, who knows what seeds you will plant when you do that.

James Caldwell (08:29.806)
bringing Christ to those. And maybe next year, we'll have just as many people who want to come into the Catholic Church sitting here and bringing them in to full communion.

May God bless us on this most holy night. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.