Vigil of Easter
Here is my brief homily for the Vigil.
Easter Vigil
O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.
Not long ago I read the Odyssey. Book 14 relays how, after many challenges and delays, Odysseus finally lands on his homeland of Ithaca. Aware that he has been gone a long time and that he is walking into circumstances that are not as he left Ithaca to fight the Trojans, he comes disguised. His first human encounter is with his loyal swineherd Eumaeus. Eumaeus does not recognize him. He says to Odysseus.
Come, old soldier, tell me the story of your troubles, tell me truly, too, I’d like to know it well… Who are you? Where are you from? Your city? Your parents? What sort of vessel brought you? Why did the sailors land you here in Ithaca? Who did they say they are? I hardly think you came this way on foot.” (Odyssey, Book 14:210-220)
I thought of that barrage of questions as I reflected on the significance of the church keeping vigil on this night. In this evening, as we await the moment when we may hear the account of the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection and celebrate the first communion of Christ’s resurrection, we do not keep vigil in silence. Nothing wrong with Holy Silence. There is a place for Holy Silence in our private devotions as well as our public, communal worship. But, on this night, the Church has long chosen to allow this time of waiting, watching, and anticipation to be filled with words and song.
Eumaeus asks his questions of the stranger because he wants to know who he is talking to. A simple name and a unique number like a Social Security Number or a Driver’s license number will not suffice. The question of “Who are you?” can only be properly answered by naming his parents and family, his city and country, his heritage, his companions, and the grand adventure of his arrival on Ithaca. In short, Eumaeus seeks the stranger’s story. All that goes into his story is what makes him who he is.
As we keep vigil, the church returns to God’s Word so that we can hear the story of God’s love for us in our creation and in our redemption. God tells us who we are by telling us where we come from and who we belong to. God tells us of his great mercy and love for us. God tells us of his frustration with our sinful choices. He tells the repentant they are forgiven. God speaks words of promises of our future with Him. We will enjoy resurrection life. Old bones will take on flesh and come to life.
The stories we hear God say to us during our vigil, tell us who we are. In love God created us. In love God sustains us. In love, God lets us make choices, even when they are foolish and harmful. In love, he disciplines us. In love, He promises to always hear our prayers. He desires that we repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith. In love, he saves us. God so loved us, all of us, past, present, and future, that He gave us His Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for our sins, so that we can believe in Him and live with the promise of eternal life. Tonight, we rejoice because Jesus rises from the dead. The risen Jesus defeats sin, death, death and Satan. As surely as Jesus rose from the dead, He has the power to forgive us.
Who are we? What is our story? We, the Church, are God’s creation. We are beloved children of God, baptized into His saving name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are a people of faith who trusts God’s promises. We trust Him so much that we take our sins to Him so that He may forgive us and declare us clean, righteous, beloved.
Our story is God working in us to bring us to His eternal heavenly home.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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