(Stock Photo – Canva)
By Patricia Schiissler
Speaking from my heart, “My loving Lord, I wait for your return! Terrible darkness came upon mankind, and now we are forced to await the light of renewed life. We were warned about the darkness of sin but didn’t heed your word. It is now necessary for Jesus to die for our salvation. Yet, we anxiously await you with thanks and devotion on Easter Sunday morning. He is risen! He is risen!”
The darkness of sin entered creation through one man, Adam. To destroy sin and death could be uniquely done through one man, Jesus, God’s only Son and Our Saviour. We keep watch at this turning point of the Triduum, the Passover of the new covenant. Thus, the Easter Vigil is the most important liturgy of public worship and Mass of the liturgical year. It begins between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday.
The Easter vigil begins outside with a fire to light the Paschal candle. The candle is blessed and then lit. It is passed on and soon brings light from darkness to the entire Church. This candle is used throughout the Easter season and then for baptisms and funerals, telling us that Christ is “light and life.” Now, we can again, since the beginning of Lent, use the word of exclamation, “Allelulia.”
As the vigil readings begin, they take us back to the story of Genesis. The world is created and brought out of the void of darkness into light. All the following readings are from the Old Testament. They mark the passage of time in which God was preparing his people for the coming of His plan, the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. The Church looks back and marvels at the work God has done for His people from the beginning. He wanted people to trust in His word and promise.
After the finish of the Liturgy of the Word, the water of the baptismal font is blessed. Any catechumens and candidates for full communion are initiated into the Church by baptism or confirmation. The congregation and I get to renew our baptismal vows and receive the sprinkling of baptismal water. Even though this evening has many significant parts, it flows by very quickly and meaningfully.
In his Gospel for the three Sundays leading to Easter, St. John spoke in words of preparation. The woman at the well is awakened from the darkness of not knowing about the living water to meeting the true living water of the Messiah. The blind man, even though living in darkness, is the person given the light for the true Son of God. Jesus is not acknowledged by the Pharisees, who, as educated leaders, are taught to seek the Messiah. Finally, Lazarus is taken from the darkness of death to the light of life by Jesus Christ. Jesus, on His way to Jerusalem, risks the authorities seeking to kill Him. He affirms the knowledge that His time is near. The darkness of death will be overcome, and a new light is coming into the world.
When I kiss your cross on Good Friday, with tears rolling gently down my cheeks, I only feel the darkness of what your people have done to you, Lord. You alone could bring the world back into the light from our sin. The Easter Vigil once again awakens us to understand that God is light and He is in control of this world. God forgives our sins in Reconciliation; we just need to ask. He lights up the world each and every time we receive the Eucharist at Mass. He is forgiveness, light, love, joy, and glory!
Patricia Schiissler, B.Ed., (nee Hanowski) as a lifelong Roman Catholic, was born, baptized, and received her sacraments at St. Henry’s parish in Melville, Saskatchewan. She began her education in a country, one room school (Wymer) from grades one to four. Education then began at St. Henry’s elementary school, grades five to eight and grades nine to twelve in St. Henry’s high school. Pat worked in the University of Regina library and meanwhile married Terry Schiissler in 1973 (BA, Notre Dame, Wilcox). They have 2 children. She retired from teaching at Regina Catholic Schools after 28 years. Pat studied the Understanding Our Faith series from 1997 to 2002. She then took the Lay Formation Program and was commissioned in 2018. Faith interests and accomplishments include Eucharistic ministry, Proclaimer, RCIA sponsor, Bible study facilitator, Chair, Spiritual Education, Lay Liturgy presider, Synod representative, etc. Pat became an author after retiring from teaching. She wrote and self-published, “God in my Life: How God speaks to me”. For the following two and a half years, she promoted the book while speaking to large numbers of people. There were over 25 evangelizing events across Western Canada. The experience was so meaningful that Pat decided to write and publish her second book,” God for all People: Some Fact, Some Fiction”. It is based on her faith journey relating to stories mainly strangers shared with her. Pat’s website is www.patriciaschiissler.com.
