After the somber days of Lent, we find ourselves refreshed with the good news of the resurrection. I always look forward to the Easter Vigil service every year. In our small parish, we had only one person baptized this year, and I was blessed to be his sponsor.
For anyone who has not experienced the Easter Vigil in a Catholic Church, it may seem a bit daunting seeing it the first time. While a normal Sunday Mass rarely takes over an hour, the Easter Vigil service can go from two to three hours, or even longer in parishes where many are being baptized. Having just one person receiving his baptism, confirmation and first Communion, our service lasted about two and a half hours. Our catechumen, I will call him Francis, (not his real name. His real name is Nathan) invited many of his non-Catholic family members and friends to witness his reception into the Catholic Church. I am always curious to know the reaction when the Easter Vigil service is someone’s first introduction to the Catholic Faith.
For those who don’t know, the Easter Vigil service begins after dark, outdoors, where a fire symbolizing the new light of the risen Christ, is blessed by the celebrant, our pastor, Father Terry (his real name.). The paschal candle is lighted from the fire and a procession takes place into the darkened church where everyone receives a candle lit from the paschal candle. After the procession, a rather lengthy Easter proclamation is sung by the cantor.
Afterwards. the people extinguish their candles, at least some of the lights are turned on, and a series of up to seven old testament scriptures are read. Father Terry likes to continue this part of the service with all the lights off, meaning someone must hold a flashlight for the lectors to see their script. The cantor and choir members sing responsorial psalms after each reading, so they too need flashlights. Those sitting in the pews do not have enough light to follow along so this part of the service can seem extremely long as reading after reading is introduced.
When the last reading is completed, the lights come on, bells are rung, and the celebration of the resurrection of Our Lord begins with the singing of the Gloria in Excelsis Deo. The Mass continues much as a normal Sunday until after the homily when the Sacraments of initiation are celebrated.
Francis later admitted that he was suffering from severe anxiety up to this point, but after making his profession of faith, a feeling of peaceful calm came over him. He was then confirmed and made his first Holy Communion during the Mass. Three sacraments in one night, the trifecta as we Catholics sometimes call it.
I have been referring to our neophyte as Francis because he chose Saint Francis of Assisi as his Confirmation patron since they both shared a love for animals. The love of Francis of Assisi extended beyond just animals to all creation. On November 29, 1979, Pope John Paul II declared Saint Francis of Assisi the patron of ecology and those who promote it. I pray that Saint Francis will watch over our newly confirmed Francis to help him grow in love for his Catholic faith.
