The Easter Vigil: Christ Be Our Light

Whilst Dr Kurland is using the rubrics of the Roman Missal of Paul VI, mutatis mutandis, it applies to the Traditional Latin Mass as well.

From The American Catholic

By Bob Kurland, PhD

The rubrics of the Missale Romanum remind us that this “mother of all vigils” is the “greatest and most noble of all solemnities and it is to be unique in every single Church” ( Missale Romanum, “Rubrics for the Easter Vigil” (EV), no.2). On this holy night, the Church keeps watch, celebrating the resurrection of Christ in the sacraments and awaiting his return in glory.–“The Roman Missal and the Easter Vigil“, USCCB

ONCE AGAIN WE CELEBRATE

Before the pandemic struck,  I was assigned to read Genesis 1, the Creation story, as the opening reading in the Liturgy of the Word for the Easter Vigil Mass.  The Sister who plays the organ for this Mass has said, “how appropriate that you be the reader; all that you’ve written on the Big Bang and evolution.”  But I thought, rather, “how privileged am I to be able to lector at this Mass and to read this particular Scripture passage, the first of the nine that chronicle the journey of God’s chosen people through the Old Testament and to Christ.”

For five years my wife and I had attended the Easter Vigil Mass at a local nursing home run by the Sisters of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.  We went there rather than attend our local parish church Mass because I had been asked to lector, because there was an intimacy that makes the celebration more compelling. and because it was shorter (only three of the Old Testament readings instead of the usual six, no baptisms or confirmations).  Like the other old folks who went to this Mass (residents of the nursing home and of the retirement village around it) we tired easily and wanted to get to bed early.

Although the nursing home chapel was quite a bit smaller than our parish church, it was able to accommodate residents, the visiting family members of residents, Sisters of the order, and those like us who prefer this Mass.   There was an organ, but no choir; nevertheless, the congregation (some with voices a little quavery) joined in the hymns with good will.

THE SERVICE OF LIGHT, LUMEN CHRISTI

As the liturgy begins, the Chapel is dark, except for a brazier containing a small fire at the back of the Church. The altar and ambo are bare;  there is no water in the holy water basin.  Most members of the congregation hold a candle with a paper cup below to catch the drippings. A few, those who because of one disability or another cannot cope with the dripping wax or the fire, have electric candles.  The service of light begins as Fr. John blesses the fire and prepares the Paschal Candle;  he takes a nail (stylus) and marks the candle, saying:

Christ yesterday and today, (vertical arm of the cross) 
the Beginning and the End, (horizontal arm of the cross) 
the Alpha (alpha above the cross) 
and the Omega (omega. below the cross)
All time belongs to him (a 2 in upper left corner of cross) 
and all the ages (a 1 in upper right corner of cross) 
To him be glory and power (a 4 in lower left corner)
through every age and for ever. Amen. (numeral 0 in lower right corner)

Fr. John lights the Paschal Candle from the fire, saying

May the light of Christ, rising in glory, 
dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

Fr. John offers the Paschal Candle to Sister Mary Ann, the Sacristan, who lights her candle and who then offers her lit candle to one of the EOMHC, ministers of Holy Communion. Each person then offers his candle to light that of the people in other rows and to the side of the chapel, and the chapel begins to glow with the light of many fires. It reminds me of how the gospel spread: the apostles giving light to many others and each of these, in turn, passing the light of faith to many others.

Fr. John chants “Christ be our Light,” three times, echoed each time by the congregation, as he processes to the ambo to chant the Exultat and the Liturgy begins.

REMEMBRANCE OF MY FIRST EASTER VIGIL

As I watch the light spread through the congregation from a focal point of tiny flames at the back of the chapel to a forest of flickering lights, I think back to my first Easter Vigil Mass, 28 years ago, when I entered the Church.  As a catechumen (unbaptized), I was wearing a white baptismal robe.   My thoughts were confused and expectant.   Could baptism truly remove, without the Sacrament of Confession,  60 years or more of sin?   Would my doubts about some points of doctrine and dogma vanish?  (They have.)  Would I be able to conform to what Catholic teaching requires of me? (I hope I have.)

The Service of Light at our parish church was more elaborate than at the nursing home chapel.  The Boy Scout troop associated with the parish would prepare a very large grill with charcoal and wood  in the Church parking lot, across the street.    The congregation  would light their candles in the parking lot and process in, lighting the candles of those who had remained in the Church.

My memory goes dim (the neurons are much further apart than they were 28 years ago ), but a few memorable things stick in my mind, other than the vows, baptism, and confirmation.   I remember a stirring soprano solo of Miriam’s song, Exodus 15:21, “Horse and Rider he has cast into the sea.”   I remember the homily of our pastor at that time and how it reassured me that my conversion was a gift from God and His only begotten Son.  And I remember also that the Service of Light seemed to me then to be symbolic, but now Christ as light is more than a symbol.

CHRIST BE OUR LIGHT

I’ve written another post on this blog, “Christ Be Our Light…” in which I offer a “Theology of Light” and its relation to physics.  I won’t repeat those thoughts here, other than to say when we chant  “Christ be our light,” it is not meant only symbolically;  that Christ as light is more than a symbol.