HOLY SATURDAY - EASTER VIGIL - cycle C 1998*

"The light of Christ surrounds us, the love of Christ enfolds us." In the presence of our most compelling symbol, the great Easter Candle, we celebrate in word, silence, song and prayer, the outstanding moments in salvation history.

God is the origin of all that exists. All that God has made is very good. (Reading 1: Genesis 1;1-2:2). Abraham, and Isaac, struggling to stand in the Lord's presence to do the Lord's will, assure us that we are blessed when we give all we have in loving service to the Lord. (Reading 2: Genesis 22:1-18).

Moses and the Israelites, having suffered and struggled for many years as slaves in a foreign land, celebrate God's liberation and freedom -- God 's gift to all people- (Reading 3: Exodus 15:15-31; 15:20).

Listen now to this story from the Book of Exodus. To it we respond with verses from the Canticle of Moses.

Listen to this reading. We will respond with Psalm 30, a psalm of praise for divine deliverance.

Baruch next exhorts us to walk in the way of the God--a way that brings us wisdom, strength, understanding and peace. (Baruch 3:9-15,32; 4:4).

And in our final reading, Ezekiel moves us closer to the challenge of Christian initiation -- God will gather us together, sprinkle clean water upon us to take away our sin and give us a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel 36:16-17a,18-28). Psalm 52 is our response, a psalm of deep emotion and evident piety, expressing our longing to be in the presence of God.

Listen now to the words of the prophet Ezekiel.

Paul's Letter to the Romans finally sets out for us the heart of our triduun or Three Holy Days. He proclaims Christ, raised from dead; he will never die again. Those baptized into Christ Jesus have been united with him in a death like his and we will certainly be united with Christ in a resurrection like his.

Psalm 118 will provide our response; it is a psalm of thanksgiving, celebrating a great deliverance. With it a credal Alleluia as responsorial verse.

Then read the Gospel

Luke's story of the resurrection was our final and dramatic moment in our readings from the word of God. The dramatic question was: "Why do you search for the Living one among the dead?

The women were perplexed, to say the least; terrified at worst, when they encountered the empty tomb. The apostles, on the other hand, found their story an idle tale. Perhaps, they were just apprehensive, and also somewhat frightened.

But Peter, impetuous as always, got up and ran to the tomb. Once he saw for himself, he was amazed at what had happened. CHRIST IS RISEN!

Tonight God calls or invites all of us to new life and wholeness. Hope and glory open a path through death to new life.

We give expression to that as we renew our baptismal promises and commitment.. By this act we recall, or are mindful Of the total paschal mystery of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, and we believe - we know - that because of that we, in baptism, pass from the death of sin to everlasting life.

In the presence of Christ Our Light, Symbolized by our Easter candle, we have the courage again to renounce sin, to reject evil, and to profess our faith in God, in Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit and in the Church.

On this holy night, together we declare to God and to all the world that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. We declare that we are people of light, faith and hope. We declare our intention to live well -- honestly and lovingly.

We are convinced that "The light of Christ surrounds us, the love of Christ enfolds us."

* ©Resurrection of Lazarus by Herman Falke, scj (CA)