I believe that the Easter Vigil exists because of the wonder-full, incomprehensible mystery of what happened between the brutal execution of Jesus and the scarred-but-alive Jesus who breathes peace into us. This mystery, I believe, draws us to repeat the stories of God who created us, freed us from slavery and raised Jesus from the dead; the God who insists on bringing us out of the graves we dig for ourselves back into God’s marvelous light. I believe this mystery compels us to baptize in God’s holy name the companions who will join us in following Jesus. I believe we need the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the mystery of the Eucharist to forgive and strengthen us as we follow him.
Why an Easter Vigil? Because we can’t leave Jesus in the tomb Friday as the sun sets and see him next in the garden on that Resurrection day without wondering what happened in between.
This message is excerpted from “Wonder of wonders” by Susie Gamelin in the April 2018 Gather magazine. Today is Holy Saturday. Today we commemorate Olavus Petri, priest, 1552; Laurentius Petri, Bishop of Uppsala, 1573; renewers of the church.
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