The Importance of the Easter Vigil

New Fire, Water and Members

Father David Jones

Church Calendar

“My soul looks back and wonders how I got over.”

The Easter Vigil is THE MOST important night for the church. It is the ultimate night of revival! Basically it is a night of preparation for Easter Sunday and for the whole next year of the church’s mission.

It takes TIME. Beginning with the week we take to get ready for the Resurrection. Coming out the wilderness, the forty days of Lent, the church narrows her focus so that it, we, acutely keep our eyes stayed on Jesus.

Remembering the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ on Palm Sunday we start to get ready for all things and people anew. We start to receive everything we shall, not will, but shall need to do what the Lord wants done. We receive everything we need to baptize and bury, and bring to prayer everything that happens from the womb to the tomb. This is why people stand up in church and wave their hand when the spirit hits them. We have a hope and a prayer!

On Tuesday of Holy Week we received the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens, and the holy Chrism, the Holy Oils. These come from the Bishop, the leader of the local church. Jesus is the head. These oils are blessed by our Bishop at a Chrism Mass at the cathedral, the Mother church and brought back to each parish. So the ONE CHURCH, lots of parishes, but ONE CHURCH, can bless those and that which needs to be blessed with Holy Oil. So the Lord can use people and things, anybody and anything.

On Holy Thursday we receive again the gifts of Holy Orders, priesthood, and HOLY EUCHARIST as we celebrate the Mass of the Last Supper with the Lord, one more time.

On Good Friday, the perfect wake before a funeral, we receive the UNIVERSAL PRAYER, our mission to go tell it on the mountain, to let freedom ring from every mountain, to go in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, thanks be to God, focus and to do what the church is supposed to do.

At the Vigil on Saturday night, we receive NEW FIRE / LIGHT, NEW WATER and NEW MEMBERS / WORKERS.

Now we have everything we need to do what Jesus commands.