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The celebration of the Easter Vigil begins in darkness, a reminder of the darkness that surrounds us so oppressively in this world. Then the new fire is lit and the darkness is dispersed.
“Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end.”
These words, pronounced by the presider as he prepares the new Easter candle in the light of that new fire, reminds us of where we find ourselves in history. We waver between hope and despair in a world torn by violence and hatred. “Is evil prevailing over good?” we ask ourselves. No, the church reminds us. Christ, the Word, was there at the beginning and will return at the end. He is the master of history.
“All things belong to him, and all the ages.”
Our faith tells us that evil will not have the last word, though the faith of the disciples was sorely tested in the darkness of that first Good Friday, a darkness which witnessed the death of Jesus on the cross. But Sunday brought the discovery of the empty tomb. The power of the Word that created the universe had conquered death. It was unexpected. Mary Magdalene thought the body had been stolen; Peter didn’t know what to think. Only the one who loved, John, knew. Jesus was alive.
“To Him be glory and power, through every age and forever.”
Christ indeed has risen from the dead. He has banished the darkness and taken away the terror of death. Forever now he rules all time and space and power. The forces of evil can fling their threats and stir up their violence, but never win. He is risen, our God is alive and with us. And his message: “Peace be with you.”
Filled with Easter joy we pray with the presider as he places the five grains of incense into the Easter Candle in the form of the cross: “By His holy and glorious wounds, may Christ the Lord guard us and protect us. Amen.”
Have a Happy, Blessed and Glorious Easter!
'Easter message from Anchorage Archbishop: ‘Christ has Risen!’' have 1 comment
March 2016 @ 7:15 pm Joseph John Lang, Ph.D.
I have reflected often on the Good Friday commemoration, etc., and I find that Handel’s “Messiah” moves me to tears, no matter how many times I hear it — particularly the solo “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”
I spent over seven years as full-time caretaker of my mother, as she was dying, and as repeated criminal attacks on her made her condition worse and worse (the attacks were on both of us, but she was more vulnerable).
I have spent far too many years living amidst horrid evil surrounding me, and the perpetrators, who are well-disguised criminals and some of whom even pose in the community (this is not in Alaska) as “Christians,” keep getting away with their evil deeds and ways, with corrupt “law enforcement” officials to protect them. Straight out of the story of Jesus.
Then as I reflect on the passion and death of Jesus, I think to myself, “Well, yes, but, my God, He didn’t live so long. He didn’t put up with what He did for decades.” I lose patience. My mother, who had always been a very, very devout Catholic, spent so many years saying Novenas and then suffered terrible attacks on her in her old age, almost gave up belief and hope, because the suffering just didn’t end until she died.
I must say that I don’t “choose” to give up my faith, but the massiveness of evil in the world does make it hard not to falter!