The Most Important Mass

Coming up in 6 days, we arrive at the most important Mass of the entire church year, a beautiful and majestic hours-long tapestry of symbolism, poetry, and powerful scripture recounting the story of Salvation History. This is the Easter Vigil. This Mass is also when the Church grows since the Easter Vigil is the night when catechumens can receive the Catholic sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion on the same night. The Easter Vigil is a one-of-akind Mass, more different than a regular Sunday liturgy than any other Mass of the year.

So, what happens at this Mass? Well, the Mass begins outside, with everyone gathered around a blazing fire. This part is called the Liturgy of Light, where the fire is blessed, which will then be used to light the Thurible, which will burn the Incense for the Mass and provide the flame for the Paschal Candle. However, before the Paschal Candle is lit, the Priest solemnly blesses it by carving a cross and other symbols into the wax and inserting 5 grains of incense in the form of nails into the cross. The Paschal Candle is then solemnly processed into the church by the Deacon while he proclaims “Lumen Christi”, which translates to “Christ our Light.”

When the Candle reaches the Altar, the Exsultet is proclaimed. Pope Benedict XVI said of this: “The great hymn of the Exsultet points us quite gently towards a further aspect. It reminds us that this object, the candle, has its origin in the work of bees. So, the whole of creation plays its part. In the candle, creation becomes a bearer of light. But in the mind of the Fathers, the candle also, in some sense, contains a silent reference to the Church. The cooperation of the living community of believers in the Church in some way resembles the activity of bees. It builds up the community of light. So the candle serves as a summons to us to become involved in the community of the Church, whose raison d’être is to let the light of Christ shine upon the world.”

We then enter the Liturgy of the Word. Five readings from the Old Testament are read, still in the darkness of the church, showing God’s marvelous plan slowly unfolding through history while candles are progressively lit in the Sanctuary. The readings are interspersed with hymns and prayers. After those readings, the church is fully illuminated at the Gloria, representing Christ’s entry into the world. We hear a reading from the New Testament and then the Gospel.

We then enter the Baptismal Liturgy, where those who have spent the past 6 months preparing to become Catholic finally enter the Church and receive the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. After this, we begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which will look very similar to a regular Sunday mass; however, the neophytes (the newly baptized), will receive their First Communion.

It’s not a short liturgy, but it’s absolutely worth your time. With powerful rituals, words, songs, and initiation, the Easter Vigil is perhaps the most vibrant celebration of our faith. I invite you to join in this most important Mass on Sat, Apr 19 at 8:00pm.