March 22, 2008 Sermon
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March 22, 2007
The Great Vigil of Easter - Year C
Romans 6:3-11
Matthew 28:1-10
Gary Sanford San Angelo
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen
Dear Friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share in his victory over death.
And the Great Vigil of Easter, which we celebrate tonight, begins. This is the Passover of the Lord. It is the Christian celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the fundamental basis of our faith. It is also the Passover/Exodus event that is fundamental to the Jewish people. The events of Holy Week and Easter are tied to the stories of Passover and Exodus, which is why the story of the Exodus is always read at this Easter Vigil service.
For our brothers and sisters of the Jewish faith, the Passover is a living history in which they are very much a part. For them it is no more a memorial service that the Holy Eucharist is a memorial for us. Just as Jesus becomes present for us in the bread and the wine, the events of Passover are as real to them.
At the traditional Jewish Passover meal it is customary for the youngest child to ask the "four questions":
Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?
Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs?
Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?
Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?
The essence of all of these questions is, "Why is this night different from every other night?" For them it is a different night and we, as Christians, might ask the same, "Why is this night different?"
The answer can be found in the Exsultet, which we heard earlier:
This night, is the night when you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of the bondage of Egypt, and led them through the Red sea on dry land.
This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life.
This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave.
We really don't know when Christ was raised from the grave. We tend to think that it was Easter morning, but all we know for sure was that Mary came "as the first day of the week was dawning." We know that the tomb was empty at dawn so it must have happened sometime between dusk and dawn. This is a significant thought: John has told us these past few weeks that everything evil happens in the dark and everything good in the light. We hear here that Christ has not only broken the bonds of death, but, that he has conquered evil as well. Blessed be His name.
How holy is this night, the Exsultet continues, when wickedness is put to flight, and sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings peace and concord. How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and man is reconciled to God.
"It restores innocence to the fallen." Wow! When was the last time we felt innocent? Even little children are not allowed to keep their innocence for long, yet on this holy night we are told that our innocence can be restored.
The loss of loved ones, opportunities in this life that we missed and the weight of our sins are all things we mourn for this night. This night, different from all others, shows us that joy can be ours, no matter what might weigh us down, through Christ our Lord.
The final message here is that pride and hatred are cast out and this night brings peace and concord. We need that. Pride and hatred have caused enough damage in our lives. What a wonderful thing to cast them out. All we have to do is give them to God and receive peace and concord in their place.
On this night heaven and earth are joined, and we can be reconciled to God. This is what God really offers to us tonight. We may be bound to earth, but God offers us a place as citizens of heaven and even though we may have strayed, God calls us back to be reconciled to him through His Son Jesus Christ. He wants us to come home to him that we may be delivered from our sins.
As we gaze upon the Pascal Candle we are reminded that Jesus is the light of the world, and is indeed risen. It is up to us to keep that light shining brightly that it may drive away all darkness. This is the light of Christ, given by God the Father for all of creation. Let the light of Christ shine now and forever more.
Copyright © 2003 Emmanuel Episcopal Church. All rights reserved.
Revised: 03/31/08