From This Night to Eternity

Homily for Easter Vigil, Year C
There is so much that happens in this liturgy tonight – so many symbols, so much beauty – that it can be difficult to grasp onto any one thing that dominates our Easter Vigil celebration. Is it the story of salvation history that we just heard through eight Scripture readings – from the creation of the world to the resurrection of Christ? Or is it the water and oil that will be used in a few minutes for baptism and confirmation? Or is it the bread and wine that later this evening will be sanctified by the Holy Spirit to become the Body and Blood of Christ? Or is it the light of a single candle shining to dispel the darkness of this night? There is so much here to draw our attention and to cause our spirits to soar. And when this night is over, and the candles are put out and the lights turned off and the books of Scripture put away and the Alleluia’s fade – what is left? From this day forward, the five people who are baptized tonight will always be baptized children of God. The adults who are confirmed will always have the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And the Eucharist will continue to nourish us every time we gather around this altar. No matter where we go, the words that we hear and the Sacraments we celebrate will continue to lead us to Christ, risen from the tomb, the Son of God who has conquered death and opened for us the gates of paradise. The wisdom of God will give us strength and understanding, life and peace (Baruch 3.14). And when our lives come to their earthly end, we have the sure hope that “if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him” (Romans 6.8). The true greatness of this night is that it does not end when we go home. Christ is risen today – and every day. The Sacraments give us life – today and every day. The light of Christ scatters the darkness of this world – today and every day. There is much for us to celebrate here – not just tonight, but every night. For Christ risen from the dead lives in us each day and every night, leading us to the joy of heaven.