The Great Vigil of Easter 2020
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About the Great Vigil of Easter The Great Vigil of Easter is the culmination of the sacred celebration of Holy Week and the beginning of the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. It is the climax of the Christian Year and unfolds in Scripture, psalm, Sacrament, and liturgy the story of redemption. It begins in darkness and proceeds to a joyous burst of light. It begins in silence and proceeds to the glorious proclamation of the Paschal Alleluia. It is the Christian Passover, for it celebrates the passing from death to life, from sin to grace. The story of the Exodus is central to the Liturgy of the Word; Baptism is the means of the full realization of redemption; Holy Communion is the promise of the glory that shall be ours with our Risen Lord. This liturgy moves with austere solemnity from one part to the next, as we watch and wait for the Lord’s Resurrection. It is not to be rushed through, for time is suspended as we recount the story of creation, celebrate the glory of the New Creation in the waters of Baptism, and profess our faith in the perfection of all creation in the fullness of time, in the glory of God. Of all the celebrations of the Church Year, the Great Vigil of Easter is preeminent, for it alone vividly and dramatically portrays all that was, that is, and that ever shall be in the drama of our redemption. Christ yesterday and today, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega. His are the times and ages and to him be glory and dominion through all ages of eternity. Amen. 1 THE GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER April 11, 2020 Service begins in the Book of Common Prayer BCP, p. 351 The Lighting of the Paschal Candle (Please note: the People read the portions of the text in bold italics.) In the darkness, fire is kindled; after which the Celebrant says: Dear friends in Christ; On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the church invites her members dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. 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. Let us pray. O God, through your Son you have bestowed upon your people the brightness of your light: Sanctify this new fire, and grant that in this Paschal feast we may so burn with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may attain to the festival of everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Paschal Candle is then lighted from the newly kindled fire. The light of Christ. People Thanks be to God. At this time the candles of the members of the congregation are lighted Then the Cantor, standing near the Candle, sings the Exsultet, as follows Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choir of angels, and let your trumpets shout Salvation for the victory of our mighty King. Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King. Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church, and let your holy courts, in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people. 2 All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame, pray with me to God the Almighty for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light; through Jesus Christ the Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise. It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind and voice, to praise you, the invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who at the feast of the Passover paid for us the debt of Adam’s sin, and by his blood delivered your faithful people. This is the night, when you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea on dry land. This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life. This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave. How wonderful and beyond our knowing, O God, is your mercy and loving-kindness to us, that to redeem a slave, you gave a Son. How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to flight, and sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings peace and concord. How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and man is reconciled to God. Holy Father, accept our evening sacrifice, the offering of this candle in your honor. May it shine continually to drive away all darkness. May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting, find it ever burning - he who gives his light to all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. 3 THE LITURGY OF THE WORD Let us hear the record of God’s saving deeds in history, how he saved his people in ages past; and let us pray that our God will bring each of us to the fullness of redemption. Israel’s Deliverance at the Red Sea Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 Go Down, Moses arr. Michael Myrick Let us pray. (Silence) O God, whose wonderful deeds of old shine forth even to our own day, you once delivered by the power of your mighty arm your chosen people from slavery under Pharaoh, to be a sign for us of the salvation of all nations by the water of Baptism: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may be numbered among the offspring of Abraham, and rejoice in the inheritance of Israel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37:1-14 Breathe on Me, Breath of God Hymn 508 Let us pray. (Silence) Almighty God, by the Passover of your Son you have brought us out of sin into righteousness and out of death into life: Grant to those who are sealed by your Holy Spirit the will and the power to proclaim you to all the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. THE EASTER ACCLAMATION (Please stand, as able) Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. The candles at the altar are now lighted from the Paschal Candle Hail Thee Festival Day (vs. 1-4) Hymn 175 Hail thee, festival day! blest day that art hallowed forever, day whereon Christ arose, breaking the kingdom of death. 4 Lo, the fair beauty of earth, from the death of the winter arising! Every good gift of the year now with its Master returns: Hail thee, festival day… He who was nailed to the cross is Lord and the ruler of nature; all things created on earth sing to the glory of God: Hail thee, festival day… Daily the loveliness grows, adorned with the glory of blossom; heaven her gates unbars, flinging her increase of light: Hail thee, festival day… Rise from the grave now, O Lord, who art author of life and creation. Treading the pathway of death, life thou bestowest on all: Hail thee, festival day… The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans (6:3-11) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he 5 died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. The Word of the Lord People Thanks be to God Psalm 114 1 Hallelujah! … When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange speech, 2 Judah became God’s sanctuary and Israel his dominion.