JESUS IS RISEN AND NOW LIVES!

HOLY SATURDAY NIGHT: THE EASTER VIGIL

Gospel reading: Lk 24:1-12

My brothers and sisters, we rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave his life, endured the suffering of the cross, died, and has been raised up to the life that cannot end. We have kept vigil, reflected on the need for a Savior, and now prepare to renew the gift of Christ's life in us as we renew our baptismal promises. Our liturgy tonight recalls what Christ has done, assures us of his presence with us now, and encourages the hope that gives meaning to life.

Yes, Easter is the celebration of the hope that gives meaning. It means the accomplishment of what is impossible, for no one once thoroughly dead comes back to life. Except! And that exception is by the power of God. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and now lives. But why is that hope for us? It is hope for those who have come to know at the very core of their being the limit of life. They have exhausted every avenue of escape from death, and are now ready to accept their inevitable demise. Yet even that is not enough, for that could simply be a surrender to hopelessness. Life is hopeless except for faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, providing we enter into his death so that we can share his resurrection.

The good news is that we are invited into the reign of God and only by the power of God are we given entrance. So who are the resurrection people who enter into the reign of God? Yes, they are among those baptized into his death and resurrection. But they also have to be the ones who have confronted the harsh reality of human limitation and have accepted their need for the one who alone can transcend those limitations.

These are the defenseless ones of this world, the persecuted, the oppressed, the poor and lowly ones who are not only forgotten by the well-to-do, but are even exploited. These are the poor in spirit. They are the gentle of the earth who do not retaliate with hate-filled violence or who seek vengeance on those they could hate. They are those who mourn as they are driven from their homes, who lose all possessions and security and who leave behind them the bodies of their loved ones. They are ones who hunger and thirst for justice for all people, not for themselves alone. They are the ones who are merciful towards others because they deeply experience human limitation that has defined their own lives.

They are the ones of single heart who trust God even in the midst of great deprivation and suffering. They are the peace-makers whose patience is always a revelation of God's invitation to reformation. They are the ones who despite all their good efforts are, nevertheless, persecuted, even put to death for the sake of justice. It is to these that the reign of God belongs.

We are of the reign of God when by our attitudes and actions we relieve the lot of the poor, the persecuted, the mourners. We belong if we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the imprisoned. We do not simply throw money at the problems but embrace those in need and create the conditions, even the institutions, in society where no one is left unattended and incapable of attending to his or her needs.

If we believe in the resurrection of Jesus, we are the ones who are signs of hope for a world steeped in hopelessness. Far from escaping into an ecstatic mist of self-serving joy, we are the ones who, because we deeply experience what Easter joy really is, are therefore dedicated to sharing this authentic reality with the whole world. Easter is more than bonnets and parades and beautiful springtime flowers. It is, above all, the vision of Christ present in the poor and the disenfranchised so that the fullness of Christ can today be approached as preparation to live eternally with those who are blessed by the God whose love is revealed even now in Christ.

Lent has been a preparation for this moment of baptismal renewal. If we have been listening to the Word of God, then we have been prepared by God for this moment of renewal. Let us embrace this moment, accept the light of the Christ represented by the Easter candle, and prepare to affirm our acceptance of the interior light which is Christ himself. Amen.