Daily Retreat 04/15/06

2006 Apr 15 Sat: Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil

Gn 1:1--2:2/ Ps 103(104) or Ps 32(33)

Gn 22:1-18/ Ps 15(16)

Ex 14:15--15:1/ Ex 15 canticle

Is 54:5-14/ Ps 29(30)

Is 55:1-11/ Is 12 canticle

Bar 3:9-15.32--4:4/ Ps 18(19)

Ez 36:16-28/ Ps 41(42) or Ps 50(51)

Rom 6:3-11/ Ps 117(118)/ Lk 24:1-12

Mk 16:1-8

What is a Vigil?

Growing up, I remember certain nights when it was very difficult to get to sleep because of anxious anticipation about the events of the coming day. I almost always spent many restless hours on the nights before Christmas, my birthday, the first day of school, or the visit of a favorite relative. In spite of my mother’s best efforts to get me to just relax and get some sleep, I found that very difficult to do because I was so excited about what was coming in the morning!

This is the same excitement the Church invites us to re-capture as we watch and wait for the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. For indeed, they should be pitied, whoever can yawn and nonchalantly lie down tonight and sleep without any exhilarated thought of the most joyful meaning of the Lord’s Easter victory!

If you have never been to the Easter Vigil celebration, I beg you to come tonight and be part of the elated preparation of heart and soul as God’s children gather in darkness that is dispelled when our eyes are illuminated by the Light of the exulted, resurrected Christ! Our tongues sing psalms of praise as our ears are filled with the symphony of Scripture which takes us through the panorama of Salvation History! We welcome newly baptized brothers and sisters into the family of God and rejoice as we renew our own baptismal promises! And then... and then we feast as we partake of the truly divine Eucharistic banquet in thanksgiving! Who could sleep tonight and miss so much?