THE RECTOR’S RAMBLINGS...EASTER DAY

"For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share in his victory over death." (BCP, p.285)

                 These words offered at 7:00 am on Easter Day mark the conclusion of the Invitation in the Great Vigil of Easter and come immediately after the lighting of the fire from which the Paschal Candle will be lighted.  A prayer is then said and the Paschal Candle is lighted and begins its movement into the darkened church as the Exsultet is sung. A small flicker of flame, symbolic of the light of the Risen Christ in the world, it is our reminder that the darkness had not overcome the true light that has come into the world.

After the Paschal Candle is placed at the top of the chancel steps we hear the great lessons telling of "...God's saving deeds in history" (BCP, p. 288) from both the Old and New Testaments.  At the end of these lessons, we stand together and renew our Baptismal Vows.  Then a great transformation takes place in the church, which for me is one of the two great moments of Easter Day here at Good Shepherd.  The candles on the altar are lighted, the lights in the nave are turned up to full power and the great acclamation of Easter is proclaimed, "Alleluia. Christ is risen"...followed by our thunderous response, "The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia."  No matter how many times I have been a part of this particular service, I am always overwhelmed with a sense of our Lord's love and presence with us.

As I said earlier, this is one of the two great moments of Easter Day for me.  The other great moment occurs at the beginning of the 9:00 am Festival Holy Eucharist.  Our procession into the church is joined by many of our young children and their parents as they come forward to decorate with flowers the cross that stands just below the pulpit.   As I watch them come forward I can hear Jesus' words proclaimed in the eighteenth chapter of Luke's Gospel account, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs."  This is always an emotional moment for me and is a manifestation of the transformation of all things that comes to us in the resurrection of our Lord.

I pray that this Easter Day will be a blessed day for each of you and that you will be like a little child and experience the power of God's love with a true sense of joy.  I also pray that all who come to the Church of the Good Shepherd will experience a place in which they will, "...see and know that all things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (BCP, p. 291)