What does it mean to hold a vigil? It means staying awake when we are supposed to be sleeping. To put it another way, we are to keep watch. That is exactly what our great ancestors did when they observed Easter Vigil. Our fathers and mothers of old stayed awake through Holy Saturday to see the break of Easter dawn in the hopeful expectation of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. They took this very seriously, coming together to sing songs, recite psalms and Scripture, meditate with one another, and really try and understand the miracle that is Jesus rising from the dead.
Think about it, Jesus rising from the dead is the greatest miracle. It proved Jesus to be exactly who He said He was. It proved that life eternal was possible and that death was an enemy that could be beaten. It proved that God does, in fact, reign supreme over all things and nothing overcomes Him. It is the foundation of our entire faith. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” Harrowing words from the Apostle. It shows just how important Easter is to us. It is far more than flowers and niceties but the reality of our salvation. Our fathers and mothers understood this very well. So they kept watch, knowing the night would give way to the dawn.
While we may not wait through the night in this age, it is important for us to still show that reverence and honor to our Lord. Serious, excited anticipation of the resurrection that has already happened and looking forward to the one that is to come. For the miracle did not stop with Jesus, but it is given to us as well. Our Lord, in His great mercy, saved us and gifted us with eternal life through His Son. Not just eternal life, but eternal paradise with Himself. St. Paul goes on to say in chapter 15, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” Through Christ, we are alive brothers and sisters.
Alleluia! Christ has risen!
Pastor Tommy