Parishioners of Resurrection Catholic Church in Dawson Springs, Ky., pray during Ash Wednesday Mass March 2, 2022. OSV NEWS PHOTO/CNS FILE, BOB ROLLER
Source & Summit: Easter Vigil in the Holy Night
(The faithful) taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, offer the Divine Victim to God, and themselves along with it.
-The Second Vatican Council fathers in Lumen Gentium, #11
Source & Summit is a feature of The Western Kentucky Catholic online, celebrating the National Eucharistic Revival: Year of Parish Revival. Intended to help Catholics of our parishes to probe the riches of our liturgical year and celebrate the liturgy well, the column will always start with the Bible readings for the Mass of the Day to help us reflect on, and help to “unpack” and expand our experiences at liturgy into the domestic church (the home) and the workplace.
Sunday reflections will be based on the Lord’s Day, the Liturgy, the Eucharist, and, occasionally, community.
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Easter Vigil in the Holy Night
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/033024.cfm
Numerous options from scripture are offered for proclamation at the Easter Vigil. The Gospel is from Mark 16.
O truly blessed night, when things of heaven are wed to those of earth and divine to the human. On this, your night of grace, O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering, the work of bees and of your servants’ hands, an evening sacrifice of praise, this gift from your most holy Church. (The Easter Proclamation)
The Easter Vigil is such a beautiful liturgy, a time of welcoming and recognition of God’s providence. As a Resurrection people on a Lenten journey, we have just been through the darkest of nights on Good Friday. We are in mourning, we are afraid, we have just seen our Lord and Savior die on the cross. This liturgy varies in its start time as the sun must be down to reflect this reality. Suddenly, the Easter candle is lit, all hope has not been lost, the Resurrection is upon us! During the liturgy, we are reminded that this candle is an offering that is not only ours but that of the bees, that with nature, we worked to provide this gift. The imagery in our ritual is so beautiful. I love how our Church evokes Creation in all of its majesty. We call to mind God’s work, from the smallest detail of the bees to the glory of Salvation. The work that He set forth in these tiny creatures takes shape in human hands and the candle becomes the lightbearer on this dark night. This is such a beautiful example of how Easter is celebrated in creation, in the Spring awakening of the flora and the fauna. May our hearts also wake up to the joy of Easter with trust in God’s providence and design. May we work like the bees, with complete trust, so we may come to rest with Him. May we welcome our neophytes (new members) with the vigor of the bees welcoming Spring.
-Susana Solorza
Susana Solorza is the Coordinator for Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the Diocese of Owensboro.
To learn more about the Diocese of Owensboro’s celebration of the National Eucharistic Revival, visit https://owensborodiocese.org/eucharistic-revival/.
