HOLY SATURDAY
Exodus 14:15-15:1
Romans 6:3-11
Mark 16:1-7
There is a wonderful song in Fiddler on the Roof. “God would like us to be joyful Even though our hearts lie panting on the floor; How much more can we be joyful, When there’s really something To be joyful for. To life, to life, L’chai-im! L’chai-im, l’chai-im, to life!” This night, this holy night, this Easter vigil is the time to be joyful for it is true, Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified, has been raised, raised to life, “l,chai-im.” Yes, the situation in the world, the situation in our city, the situation in our family might cause our hearts to lie panting on the floor. But this is the night of joy for we’ve skimmed to the end of the book, we know how the story comes out, we’re read the happy ending. Life wins, love wins, joy wins. No matter the forces arrayed against him, Jesus has triumphed. We bring all that we are, all that we are going through and all those unknown fears under the power of the Risen Lord. Easter gives us the blessed assurance that all manner of things will be well.
Our liturgy this evening captures how everything is different because of Easter. We use the traditional elements of fire, wind, water and earth as part of the service to show how all creation is new in the Resurrection. Fire is not just fire but in the Risen Jesus becomes the light of the world, showing us a way through darkness into glory. Wind is not just moving air but the sign of the Holy Spirit. As we hear the Words of Sacred Scripture proclaimed the air we breathe, the breath we take becomes, literally, inspiration – a breathing in of the Spirit. Water, the source of all life on earth, becomes in the power of the Risen Lord the entry way into new life. As we will soon bathe the Elect in the waters of Baptism they remind us of our own entry into the richer and fuller life of people who are destined to share risen life with Jesus. And the earth gives us bread and wine that are transformed as the Easter sacraments into the living bread come down from heaven, into the cup of salvation which anticipates the heavenly banquet. All things are new after Easter.
However, did you notice how the white-robed young man in the gospel of St. Mark announced the resurrection? “He has been raised, he is not here.” Yes, glorious news. He has been raised. The cruelty of this world has been overcome. But, he is not here. And because he is not here some things remain the same. They still had to go home to worry over paying the bills, dealing with an aching tooth, and how to live in a violent neighborhood. This is a joyful night to be sure but it does not eliminate all of the painful parts of striving to live in a world which seems to go out of its way to make things miserable.
Perhaps that is why the Church situates this night of joy in a larger context, in the whole history of salvation. We started with the first moment of creation, with the time before time to see how God has been at work unfolding the story of grace step by step, moment by moment. We tell the story of the call to faith of Abraham and the liberation of a people from slavery via the Cecil B. DeMille worthy passage through the Red Sea. The prophets kept calling the people back and back again, reminding them that as the chosen people they were called to live faithfully. Then the gospels and St. Paul proclaim the fulfillment of this history in the coming of Jesus. The lesson in all this: God is at work, God has a plan, God never fails. We can rejoice at Easter no matter what is happening around us because we trust that the God who brought us this far by faith is not about to abandon us now. The millennia long story of God’s action in history is our story as well. Just as God was with Israel this night proclaims God is with us. God wants us to be joyful. This night tells us why. “L,cha’im.”
