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...................................Prayer...................................
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to His people on earth. Lord God heavenly King, almighty
God and Father, we worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You
for Your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God,
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone
are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory
of God the Father.
Amen.
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...Welcome Michael
Tonight, at
Easter Vigil, my husband, Michael, joins our Church. My heart
is filled with such joy and happiness.
From the Anchoress'
beautiful
description of Holy Week...
Holy Saturday - what some call “the
longest day of the year…” Tabernacles are empty, no masses, we are the
women gathering together, going to the spot where He is buried and
wondering, who will roll away the stone… until the triumph and
tenderness of the Easter Vigil, which is so primitive - so primal and
tribal, with the blessing of the fire and water, the marking of the new
Paschal candle - and yet so easily comprehended.
The congregation, all in darkness
watches and prays - new candles in hand, as the fire is lighted, and
from that the Paschal candle each congregant’s candle is lit as the
priest or deacon processes in, stopping three times to raise the Paschal
candle high - the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not
overcome it - “Christ Our Light,” (Lumen Christi) sings the
priest. “Thanks be to God” (Deo Gratias) we respond. Finally,
the church is awash in the flickering, soft light of a thousand candles
and the priest of deacon begins the Easter Proclamation,
Exsultet, the greatest chant ever written, a chant I can’t find an
mp3 for, but you must hear. When it’s done by a priest or deacon who can
actually sing it, it is…spine-tingling.
Rejoice, heavenly
powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God’s throne!
Jesus Christ, our King is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining
splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes forever!
And then the
7 readings and corresponding psalms…finally, for the first time in
40 days, we sing the Gloria - the bells peal and the words pour forth:
Glory to God in the Highest, and Peace to His people on earth!
(Et in terra pax hominibus!) And as the Gloria is sung, the
shrouds of mourning are cast aside. Every light is turned on, every
candle lit, the bare altar is again dressed. Then the NT Epistle and
finally the Gospel is read. A homily and then the Liturgy of Baptism -
we all renew the baptismal promises: I reject Satan and all his
works, and all his empty promises…
We baptise those who need it, welcome
in those already baptised but seeking full communion and as they come,
one by one, for sprinkling or immersion, we chant the Litany of Saints -
it’s not just for popes, but for every one of us, a calling down of the
Cloud of Witnesses, a request to all who have gone before: Pray for
Us! And then the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and communion - a final
blessing and we’re off, tired and yet exhilirated from a 2-3 hour
liturgy that has been full of emotion and beauty and prayer.
In our house, we go home and have
coffee and sweetrolls and chocolate. We have sweets to celebrate the
sweetness of life, and because He is Risen and it is no time for
mourning.
By: TheAnchoress @ 3:39 pm |
