And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.”
From the depth of emotion on witnessing the Savior of the world hung on the cross as a common criminal, the Church with exultant joy greets the unfailing light that comes forth from the tomb as we celebrate the ‘mother of all vigils’ on Holy Saturday, the first celebration of the Easter mysteries.
The Vigil liturgy is almost an embarrassment of ritual riches as every human sense is taken up to mark the reality of death giving way to unending life in the Risen Savior. Darkness gives way to light as the Paschal candle enters into our darkened churches to dispel literally and metaphorically the darkness that shrouds our lives and our world.
Our extended readings present a moving panorama of Salvation History from creation, liberation to exultation in Resurrection as we greet our Easter Gospel from Matthew with our exultant Alleluias that have been silent for these 40 days of our Lenten journey.
The meaning of the Easter mysteries takes flesh in the new Christians who spring forth from our baptismal pools that are, indeed, the spiritual wombs from which new life springs.
Our celebration concludes with the first Eucharist of Easter, where the Risen Lord continues to feed his people with the hope that banishes whatever fears that we might bring to this moment.
For the worldwide Church in 2020, we celebrate an Easter like no other. Literally separated physically from our communities of faith by the pandemic that has gripped our world, we nevertheless share in a spiritual solidarity one with another as the Mystical Body of Christ where nothing can separate us from the love of God that comes to us in our Risen Savior.
And so, on this Easter, the words of Jesus in this evening’s Gospel take on renewed meaning as we face the challenge that is now before us: Do not be afraid. I am with you always until the end of time. Alleluia!