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The Anglican Parish of Christ Church Brunswick |
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The Anglican Parish of Christ Church Brunswick |
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The Liturgy of the Easter Vigil is the most exciting, as well as the most profound and ancient of the Church’s annual celebrations. Tonight we plunge into the depths of our Christian origins. The movement of Christ’s own life from Good Friday to Easter, through death to resurrection, is actualised in the liturgy. The celebration of Christian death and rebirth in the baptismal mystery lies at the very heart of the Vigil rite and the recreative purpose of the crucified and risen Lord is identified here in the making of Christians.
The first part of the Vigil liturgy confronts us starkly with the darkness of the tomb into which the miracle of new light is to be born. The Paschal Candle then spreads the light of the New Fire throughout the Church to illuminate us for what follows: the celebration of Christ’s, and our own, rebirth from the tomb.
The second part sets before us a series of Old Testament lessons which present us with the grand design of God’s creation and the unfolding of his plan of salvation through the people of Israel.
The third part, the Liturgy of Baptism, takes us in company with all the saints on pilgrimage to the font. Here Christ, the Fountain of Living Waters, comes to beget us anew. Through his death and resurrection, he invites us to celebrate new birth with him by water and the Spirit. Blessed are those who are bathed in the new Life of Christ through baptism at the Easter season. We join them around the font, reaffirming our own baptismal promises, celebrating with them our blessedness too in the miracle of Christian beginnings.
As always, but above all on this holy night, the Eucharist catches us up into the very life of Christ. The fourth part, the Vigil Eucharist, binds us to him by the power of his death and resurrection. The Good Shepherd bursts forth from the tomb to greet us, breaking out through Bread and Wine to share his new life with us. Wonder and amazement at the stupendous Easter event sweep over us. Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen indeed. Yet stop, look closer, mark his wounds. Here is the Lamb of God, who has died to give us his life.
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Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven, alleluia; He whom thou wast meet to bear, alleluia; As he promised, hath arisen, alleluia; Pour for us to him thy prayer, alleluia;
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia; |
