Singing on Saturday night

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)

Singing on Saturday night

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.

At Catholic churches all over the world tonight, congregations will gather around fires at sunset and then process into their sanctuaries through the darkness. The priest carries the Paschal candle to the altar, and when that candle has been placed, lights in the church are turned on.

Then for several hours scripture and song recount the story of God and his creation, beginning with the endless, darkening face of the deep and ending with the new life that Jesus brought.

That Jesus brings.

Very early on the morning after Sabbath, when the sun had risen, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome brought spices to Jesus’ tomb. In the tomb they saw a young man clothed in a white robe. “Do not be amazed,” he said. “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. But he is not here, he is risen.

Many great celebrations, set like jewels into the beauty of Christian tradition, set the stage for the Triduum, and then for Easter itself. Or Resurrection Sunday, as some Protestants have taken to calling it, leaving both pagan and Christian tradition behind. Whatever we decide to call tomorrow, it’s the day that Jesus’ passivity ended. His “passion” broke his followers’ hearts, and once their hearts were broken, the resurrected Jesus poured his love, awakened and alive, right on in.

Ron Rolheiser talks about how Jesus gives himself up to us both in life and in death, through his activity and then through his passivity.

After his arrest all the verbs become passive: he is led away, manhandled by the authorities, whipped, helped in carrying his cross, and ultimately nailed to the cross. In this passivity, Jesus gives his death for us.

There are many lessons in this, not least the fact that life and love are given not just in what we do for others but also, and perhaps even more deeply, in what we absorb at those times when we are helpless.

The scriptures chosen for Easter Vigil reflect both God’s power and his refusal to bully his rebellious people with that power. On every side, we his children are the benefactors. It does not always seem that way, of course. It takes a long view to get through the pain of being human.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

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It has been a good thing, hosting our grandson Jack Sandel for a few days. His cousins Miles and Jasper loved being with him, doing homework, playing in our whirlpool (hot!) and big blue pool (cold!), eating at home and at restaurants.

Jack’s energy continually shaped his time with people. And it was true that in spending significant time with him alone, while his family was at home, we began to get to know Jack in a whole new way. As he flew home this morning, we all knew we’ll miss him.

(Genesis 1, Psalm 104, Psalm 33, Genesis 22, Psalm 16, Exodus 14-15, Isaiah 54, Psalm 30, Isaiah 55, Isaiah 12, Baruch 3, Psalm 19, Ezekiel 36, Psalm 42-43, Isaiah 12, Psalm 51, Romans 6, Psalm 118, Mark 16)

(posted at www.davesandel.net)

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