Surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia!

We have made things pretty, are rejoicing, and enjoying some goodies. But we ultimately seek to keep the spirit of Easter.

We pray to make this brief time, here in the vale of tears, fruitful. We pray that His joy and hope of Easter remind us always of Our Lord’s desire that we remain united to Him here on earth & in heaven. May we take this responsibility seriously, celebrate this season properly, and look forward to the day when all sorrows shall end!

St. John Chrysostom, in his famous Easter sermon, teaches us something of the true spirit of Easter:

“…Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness;
Let no one lament their poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed;
Let no one mourn their transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave;
Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free.

O death, where is thy sting
O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!”

➕

Easter Vigil. 8 Hours (not including the yard work that Dad and the boys did at church in the morning) — left at 2pm for Church, the sacred ceremonies started at 6.

🔥 THE NEW FIRE & THE GRAINS OF INCENSE

🕯 THE PASCHAL CANDLE

📖 THE (TWELVE) PROPHECIES

🎶 THE LITANY

➕THE MASS

With no real pictures to share of the Easter Vigil and the glorious sacred ceremonies, I leave you with a blessed jubilation out of the mouth of a babe (post-Communion).

Our little one could not contain his joy! We cherish the “A” word in our home and it is a sweet consolation to see that he has a growing devotion to it as well.

The Alleluia, which means “Praise God”, is a song of jubilation and is repeated six times (in the Easter Vigil), to give praise to each of the Three Divine Persons, first by the Celebrant and then by the people. The reason for such joy is shown in the verse Confitémini which follows the Alleuia.

Ps. 117,1 Confitémini Dómino, quó- niam bonus: quóniam in sæculum mi- sericórdia eius.

V. Ps. 117,1 Give praise to the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.

Here is a brief commentary on the Easter Vigil:

The Easter Vigil is the symbol of the expectation of the Divine Judge. He has warned us that he will come as a thief in the night, and since the most important affair of our life is at stake – our eternal salvation – no precaution is to be considered excessive when it comes to disposing us to that tremendous instant on which our eternity depends. The ancients, during the Easter Vigil, awaited the fulfillment of the longed for parousia of the Redeemer.

We know nothing about the time when it will come; we only know that it will come when we least expect it. Though it is not only the parousia that is sudden; during a Christian’s day, Jesus comes to us so many times, suddenly, with His graces: what misery to let them go unnoticed! They pass and do not return. A grace that God offers us today, and which we allow to go to waste, will be like a precious treasure that – because of our lack of response – is lost forever.➕

Alleluia!!

May the Resurrection of Our Lord give us special graces to see, to judge, and to act as He expects in this present-day Passion of Holy Mother Church. ➕