Christ is Risen!

Phew. I am so glad I attended my first Easter Vigil of my 20 years at IHM this year!

During my Uncle's wake at St Mary's Of The Angels six weeks ago, one of the Friars encouraged me to attend the Easter Vigil with such fervency that i could not resist. So, off i trudged to the Vigil, with the rhinos and the rest of the ZJ community!

Besides the beautiful and angelic voices of the combined choir, I have found that there really is so much significance of the symbols in the Vigil.

The primary visual symbol at the Vigil is the paschal candle. Usually made of pure beeswax, the candle is a fitting sybol of Christ resurrected. And the flame (symbolizing Christ) is passed from the single paschal candle to the whole chuch by the congregation at the end of the procession to church.

Christ be our light

Of course, incense, lit with charcoal from the new fire, is used to incense and bless the paschal candle. The burning of the incense signifies our zeal for God's work; its fragance, the virture we offer to God; and the rising smoke, our prayer made acceptable to God through the sacrificial love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When the paschal candle is plunged into the blessed water, we experience the meaning of our Baptism, the dying and rising to a new life with Christ - while at the same time mirroring the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.

Thanks be to God

O Lord, Alleluia

Alleluia

Alleluia!
And thank you for the gift of eternal life! Please give me the grace to always keep the flame of apostolic zeal burning in my heart.

-rhino 69-