The
Easter Vigil begins in silence and in darkness.
A
fire is struck and blessed.
The
Easter candle is lit from the fire and
the
fire is spread throughout the assembly,
as
the candle is processed to the front amid the
the
acclamation that grows louder:
Light
of Christ!
Thanks
be to God!
The
following Eucharistic Prayer is proclaimed
before
the Easter light.
Rejoice, heavenly
powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation
around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our
King is risen!
Sound the trumpet
of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth,
in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness
of your King!
Christ has conquered!
Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes
forever!
Rejoice, O Mother
Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior
shines upon you!
Let this place resound
with joy,
echoing the mighty
song of all God's people!
The Lord
be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up
to the Lord.
Let us give thanks
to the Lord our God.
It is right to give
him thanks and praise.
It is truly right
that with full hearts
and minds and voices
we should praise
the unseen God,
the all-powerful
Father,
and his only Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
For Christ has ransomed
us with his blood,
and paid for us
the price of Adam's sin
to our eternal Father!
This is our passover
feast,
when Christ, the
true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates
the homes of all believers.
This is the night
when first you saved our fathers:
you free the people
of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod
through the sea.
This is the night
when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of
sin
and freed from all
defilement,
are restored to
grace and grow together in holiness.
This is the night
when Jesus Christ
broke the chains
of death
and rose triumphant
from the grave.
What good would life
have been to us,
had Christ not come
as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful
your care for us!
How boundless your
merciful love!
To ransom a slave
you gave away your
Son.
O happy fault, O
necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for
us so great a Redeemer!
Most blessed of all
nights, chosen by God
to see Christ rising
from the dead!
Of this night scripture
says:
"The night will
be as clear as day;
it will become my
light, my joy."
The power of this
holy night
dispels all evil,
washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred,
brings us peace,
and humbles earthly
pride.
Night truly blessed
when heaven is wedded to earth
and we are reconciled
with God!
Therefore, heavenly
Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our evening
sacrifice of praise,
your Church's solemn
offering.
Accept this Easter
candle,
a flame divided
but undimmed,
a pillar of fire
that glows to the honor of God.
Let it mingle with
the lights of heaven
and continue bravely
burning
to dispel the darkness
of this night!
May the morning Star
which never sets
find this flame
still burning:
Christ, that Morning
Star, who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful
light on us all,
your Son who lives
and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Easter
Proclamation (Exultet),
the Easter Vigil Liturgy. |
