By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Members of the congregation hold candles during the first part of the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski dips the Paschal Candle in the baptismal font, blessing the water which will be used to baptize the catechumens who are joining the Church, during the celebration of the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski baptizes Anthony Alvarez, 15, during the celebration of the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
After being baptized, those about to be confirmed and their sponsors stand at the front of the sanctuary of St. Mary Cathedral; from left: Yolanda Flores, sponsor, and catechumen Anthony Alvarez; Sister Carmen Cabrejos, sponsor, and catechumen Leonard Lawrence; Gregory Etienne, sponsor, and catechumen Jerry Blackman.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated the Easter Vigil March 31, 2018.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski confirms Leonard Lawrence as his sponsor, Sister Carmen Cabrejos, of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, places her hand on his shoulder, during the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Newly baptized Catholic Jerry Blackman receives his first Communion from Archbishop Thomas Wenski during the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Newly baptized Catholic Anthony Alvarez drinks from the cup after his first Communion during the Easter Vigil celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Newly baptized Catholic Anthony Alvarez poses with his sponsor, Deacon Raul Flores, after the Easter Vigil. The deacon was on the altar serving, so his wife Yolanda Flores sat with Alvarez in the pew.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Photography: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at the celebration of the Easter Vigil, March 31, 2018 at St. Mary Cathedral.
The shame and despair of that day we now call “Good” Friday is replaced by the joy and brightness of Easter Sunday morning. Darkness gives way to new light.
Christ is risen � and his resurrection from the dead casts a decisive light on all that preceded it. Now, in the light of the Resurrection, Jesus words and the words of the prophets who preceded him are understood with a new clarity; his miracles through which he healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and even raised the dead, even his boldness in forgiving sins, acquire an even greater significance. The Cross once rightly regarded as an instrument of cruel torture and shame is now revealed as the Tree of Life: from now on we understand that in embracing the cross we are not robbed of life but instead we find true life. Life is redeemed � for all its sorrows, pains and disappointments, life has meaning. For Easter convinces us not only that Jesus is risen � but that we would rise as well.
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Archbishop Thomas Wenski lights the Paschal Candle after blessing the fire at the start of the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Archbishop Thomas Wenski dips the Paschal Candle in the baptismal font, blessing the water which will be used to baptize the catechumens who are joining the Church, during the celebration of the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Cathedral, March 31, 2018.
Our Christian faith is born not so much from the acceptance of a doctrine but from an encounter with a person � with Christ, once dead but now risen. The same Christ who encountered the women who came to the tomb is the same Christ who encounters us today in his Word and Sacrament. Jesus is not just a character from a far distant past. He is not remembered in the same way as the great men and heroes who lived long ago are remembered. We might talk about them � and about their deeds. But we cannot talk to them or befriend them. Jesus, however, is the same yesterday, today and forever. He lives. Having broken the chains of death, he walks before us as one who is alive � and he calls us to follow him, the living one, and to enter into a relationship of friendship with him. In this way we discover the path of life, a life that is always new because it will never die.
Through our baptism into his death and resurrection, we have become alive in Christ and are called to witness to all he has done. But our witness must be a joyful one. As Christians still living in the world we will experience all manner of trials and tribulations. The sufferings of Christ do not exempt us from suffering ourselves; but his sufferings seen in the light of his Resurrection give meaning and hope to our own. And so even suffering does not take away our joy in the future promise of our own Resurrection.
Indeed, joy is a sign that we have been with the Lord. And this joy comes not only following God’s law but from knowing God in his son Jesus Christ. It comes from experiencing his mercy and grace and sharing in his divine life. Our witness will be that much more credible if it is joyful � our joy allows God to smile through us and thus bring renewed hope to the world.
En el don de la Pascua se encuentran las exigencias de la Pascua: "Si habéis resucitado con Cristo, busquen las cosas de arriba". La vida entera de Jesús fue formada por su obediencia a su Padre. Para nosotros, vivir en Cristo significa que nunca vamos a permitir que las cosas de este mundo nos distraigan de la verdadera finalidad de nuestra existencia. Debemos tratar de hacer la voluntad de Dios en todas las cosas, incluso en las cosas aparentemente más triviales. Pero, haciendo la voluntad de Dios y siguiendo los mandamientos no nos privan de la alegría: pero es lo que hace posible la verdadera alegría.
Fr� m ak s� m yo, Jodi a se fete n ap fete Jezi ki te mouri leve byen vivan. Nou menm ki kw� nan li, nou batize nan lam� li ak nan leve li leve byen vivan. Se sa k ki f� k� n kontan malgre tout difikilte nou ka jwenn nan lavi a.
Men, nan kado lavi tou n�f Pak la ban nou an, nou jwenn egzijans Pak la tou: P�l ki sen di nou: "si ou te leve soti vivan ansanm ak Kris la ch�che sa ki anwo a". Menm jan ak Jezi, f� n toujou ch�che f� volonte Papa l � nan tout bagay..
In the gift of Easter lie the demands of Easter: “If you were raised with Christ seek what is above.” Jesus’ whole life was shaped by his obedience to his Father. For us to live in Christ means that we will never allow the things of this world to distract us from the true purpose and goal of our existence. We must seek to do God’s will in all things � even in the seemingly most mundane things. But doing God’s will and following the commandments does not deprive us of joy but it is what makes true joy possible.
