Easter Vigil

Homily Preached by Archbishop Denis Hart
at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne,
on Saturday, 15th April, 2006, at 8.00pm

Homily

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After a day of silence during which the Church as it were held her breath, a thrilling joy breaks out; Christ is risen, alleluia!

None of the four evangelists describes the emergence of Jesus from the tomb.  Even that is shrouded in mystery.  And yet, as we have blessed the Easter fire and taken our light from Christ as we came into the darkened Cathedral, we have listened to the powerful Exultet:

“This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave.  What good would life have been to us had Christ not come as our Redeemer?  Christ, the morning star, which never sets who came back from the dead sheds his peaceful light on all mankind.”

The liturgy of the Word has helped us to reflect on the journey to redemption undertaken by the Jewish people and indeed the import of our Lenten pilgrimage.  We are filled with joy as Mary and the women come to the tomb and discover him risen.  Death has been overcome.

In a few moments, together with her parents, Roshan and Alan Hughes, the baby, Lily, will be baptised.  Our minds go back many years to what we knew of our own baptism.  Darkness gives way to light, original sin to baptismal innocence, failure and pessimism to grace.

“May all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism, rise also with him to newness of life.”  This is the invitation given after our Lenten pilgrimage as we thank God and renew our baptismal promises.  For each of us God has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and forgiven all our sins.  This is the motive for rejoicing and hope.  We pray also, may he keep us faithful to our Lord, Jesus Christ, forever. 

Easter is a feast of hope and inspiration.  I wish you that the light and hope of Christ will go with you, with all in this Cathedral this week who have worked so hard to present our annual commemoration of the passion and resurrection.  May we be touched and inspired by this encounter with Jesus, who is risen, who invites our yes to his way of life.  Christ is truly risen.  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.