Easter Vigil Mallow Union 11 April 2020
LITURGICAL NOTES
The Easter Vigil is the oldest feature of the celebration of Easter and is a time of watching and waiting, which in early times the Church kept throughout the night, meditating on the mighty acts of God in the Scriptures and praying until dawn, when Christ’s resurrection was proclaimed.
In the early centuries of the Church’s history, Baptism and Easter were intimately linked: indeed this was usually the only season when the sacrament of Holy Baptism was regularly administered. The new converts thus sacramentally entered into Christ’s redeeming death and resurrection at the same time as the whole Church celebrated its memorial of those events.
1: THE VIGIL
Prayer: Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus Christ passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which through word and sacrament we share in his victory over death.
As we wait the risen Christ, let us hear the record of God’s saving deeds in history, recalling how he saved his people in ages past and in the fullness of time sent his Son to be our Redeemer; and let us pray that through this Easter celebration, God may bring to perfection in each of us the saving work he has begun.
A: As we meditate on the mighty acts of God in the Scriptures we begin with the story of Creation
Genesis 1: 1-5, 26 to end The Creation
B: In contrast to the ideal story of Creation we now hear the story of the Fall and the exile from Paradise.
Genesis 3 : The Fall
C: We now move to one of the greatest story of in Jewish history , the origin of the Pascal Festival, the Liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.
Exodus 14: 10-31; 15: 1 Crossing the Red Sea
D: We now move to Prophet Isaiah who tells us that God’s word shall not return empty but shall accomplish his purpose
Isaiah 55. 1-11 Let Us Return to the Lord who saves Us
E: Our final reading informs us of a New Covenant which God proposed for his people Israel when the earlier Covenant had been broken.
Jeremiah : 31: 31-34 New Covenant
2: The SERVICE OF LIGHT :
The congregation remains seated for a few moments while the clergy leave the church to vest. The Easter fire is kindled and the priest says:
Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your one true light: set us aflame with the fire of your love, and bring us to the radiance of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, Alpha and Omega, all time belongs to him and all ages; to him be glory and power, through every age and for ever. Amen.
The priest lights the Easter candle and says:
May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
The priest bearing the Easter candle enters the church, followed by the others, and moving through the Church’s sings three times
The light of Christ
Thanks be to God
The congregation remains standing whilst the priest place the Easter candle on a stand and proclaims
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The congregation respond:
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
All other candles are lit and the church illuminated while The Exsultet (Easter Song of Praise) is sung by the whole congregation (Tune of hymn 712)
Sing choirs of heaven! Let saints and angels sing!
Around God’s throne exult in harmony!
Now Jesus Christ is risen from the grave!
Salute your king in glorious symphony!
Sing choirs of earth! Behold, your light has come!
The glory of the Lord shines radiantly!
Lift up your hearts, for Christ has conquered death!
The night is past; the day of life is here!
Sing church of God! Exult with joy outpoured!
The gospel trumpets tell of victory won!
Your Saviour lives: he’s with you evermore!
Let all God’s people shout the long Amen!
Collect of the Day:
Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity. Amen.
Hear the Gospel of Our saviour Christ according to St John Chapter 20 beginning at verse 1
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ 3Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ 14When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ 16Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
3: THE RENEWAL OF BAPTISM VOWS
As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, we remember that through the Pascal mystery we have died and been buried with him in baptism, so that we may rise with him to a new life within the family of his Church. Now that we have completed our observance of Lent, we renew the promises made at our baptism, affirming our allegiance to Christ, and our rejection of all that is evil.
Therefore I ask these questions:
Do you turn to Christ?
I turn to Christ.
Do you repent of your sins?
I repent of my sins.
Do you renounce evil?
I renounce evil.
Let us now proclaim the Christian faith into which we were baptized and in which we live and grow.
Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son?
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Sprit
The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples
and said, Peace be with you!
Then were they glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia! The peace of the risen Christ be always with you
The congregation respond:
and also with you. Alleluia!
Offertory Hymn
4: THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Ending with
Blessing:
Our help is in the name of the Lord
Who has made Heaven and earth
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Now and forever. Amen
The Father, whose glory fills the heavens ,
Cleanse you by his holiness
And send you to proclaim his work
Amen
The Son, who has ascended to the heights,
pour upon you the riches of his grace
Amen
The Holy Spirit ,the Comforter,
Equip you and strengthen you in your ministry
Amen
And the blessing of God almighty,
The Father, the son and the Holy Spirit
Be upon you and remain with you always
Amen
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen