Easter Sunday (Years A,B and C)
a little liturgy for Easter Sunday departs from the usual format, since I'm sure that some of you will be going to the Vigil Mass and others the Mass during the day. So I have concentrated on moving from darkness into light and renewing baptismal promises. May I extend a warm welcome and many congratulations to those who will be baptised and received into the Church on Saturday evening.
The Easter Vigil service portrays dramatically the move from darkness into light and this is of course what Baptism is all about. On Easter night the Gloria is sung, bells are rung and candles are lit to divide the readings of the Old Testament from the New. At Mass during the day we light candles when we renew our baptismal promises.
Here is a drawing of the Pascal Candle. Add in the symbols for alpha and omega, the numerals for the current year and the five grains of incense.
When the priest does this at the Easter Vigil he says the following words:
"Christ yesterday and today, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, all time belongs to him and all ages.
To him be glory and power through every age and forever. Amen
By his holy and glorious wounds, may Christ the Lord guard us and protect us."
After the Gospel and homily we usually say the Creed which is a statement of our beliefs. On Easter Day we go one step further and renew our baptismal promises by saying them out loud, just as we or our Godparents did at our baptism. Add in the words "I do" after every statement:
Do you renounce Satan?
And all his works?
And all his empty show?
Do you believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father?
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
Put these phrases in your own words:
do you renounce
empty show
Below is a link to the stations of the cross at Lourdes. Obviously more appropriate for Good Friday than Easter Sunday. I include it because in Lourdes there are fifteen Stations of the Cross - the last represents the Resurrection. It is striking in its simplicity and yet rich in symbolism. I hope it provides some interesting discussion.
Stations of the Cross at Lourdes
I wish you every joy and blessing for the Easter season.
Maria
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