I just love this reflection for Easter by Fr Robert Morneau, taken from his book Not by Bread Alone:
“Lights! Camera! Action! The cry on the movie set cannot compare to the Easter Vigil’s ‘Alleluia! Alleluia!’” On the most sacred of nights, we praise God as we light our Easter candle, bless the water for baptism and celebrate. No camera can capture the Eucharistic action filled with the light of God’s glory.
We praise God for calling our catechumens and candidates into full communion in the church. Over these many weeks of preparation they have been studying God’s word and praying for enlightenment. Now they come to receive the risen Lord into their hearts. Then they are sent forth to go and tell the world the good news of our salvation. “Alleluia!”
We praise God for the renewal of our own baptism. We once again renounce sin, testify to our belief in our triune God, and reaffirm our faith in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body. Because of Jesus, we are promised life everlasting. “Alleluia!”
We praise God for calling us to be an Easter people, for calling us from darkness into light, from death into life. Our vocation is one of being agents of God’s light and life, sharing with all we meet the graces given. This agency will have its costs, a sharing in the painful ministry of Jesus, his sacrificial self-offering. But in the giving of self, we experience the Lord’s Easter joy and peace. “Alleluia!”
A happy and holy Easter to all our parishioners!!