I didn’t go to the Vigil – Michael did, because someone he knew was being received into Full Communion. He may or may not give his report – How about you? How many readings? Which ones? How were the baptisms handled? How many people in attendance? The fire? Was it actually dark when you began?

The most memorable Easter Vigil I’ve ever attended was at St. Meinrad Archabbey, a few years ago. It began in the dark of night, down in a courtyard, where the fire was sparked and the Paschal Candle lit. The liturgy progressed, back up in the church, through all of the readings, the homily and then….

we left.

To return at 4am the next morning for the rest of the liturgy. Boy, that was tough. If we’d been staying in the guest house, that would have been one thing, but we weren’t so we had to rise, drive and…yawn.

But it was marvelous, and memorable. At one point (pardon me if my memory is fuzzy …it was early), one of the monks comes in and intones something like "Archabbot, I have good news. Some of the women have been to the tomb and reported that it is open…he is not there…they met him in the garden…He is Risen!" And then Archabbot responded with a series of "Alleluias!" which were shaky and not perfectly intoned, but in their own way…perfect.

At another point…the offertory, I imagine, another monk brought in a live young lamb in a basket. No, he wasn’t slaughtered then or even later..I think he was returned to the farmer who gave him.

It was wonderful, but I do think that the Easter Vigil is wonderful where ever – the symbolism is so rich, the texts so indestructible, that it would be hard to wreck it if you tried. Everything works to bring our entire selves in, body, soul and intellect, so that we, almost effortlessly, understand that the darkness that is dispelled is our darkness – whatever that might be, from the small dark pockets of our lives, to the great darkness of death that looms over all of us – and that the Light that breaks into it, is our Light, as well.