The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night 2020

INTRO:

I was never very good in GEOGRAPHY… navigating a map, where’s east west north or south… I still have a difficult time saying “I have to go UP to Cleveland”! LOL

Anyway, there is a bit of “symbolic” GEOGRAPHY to point out tonight!
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but, he died in Jerusalem. These were neighboring cities of the country of JUDEA.

Now He lived in Nazareth where He began His public ministry and Nazareth is in the country of GALILEE. It is north of Judea.

Tonight, you heard it, Jesus, who meets the women at the tomb on Easter morning, being physically in JERUSALEM, asks for the apostles to meet Him in GALILEE, not in JERUSALEM.

WHY? …….. Well ????…….. He asked for them to meet Him in Galilee because this is where the church all began for HIM.

This is where life first changed in the world (at Galilee with Jesus’ PUBLIC MINISTRY) and then has developed for us through Jesus and the Apostles for over 2000 years that we TODAY are able to be HIS FOLLOWERS!!!

It would be a VERY SENTIMENTAL PLACE to meet his followers and to show His followers His resurrected body.

This EASTER GOSPEL of Matthew wants us to remember where CHURCH first began!

The CHURCH wants you and me to remember “apostolic succession” for over 2000 years.

That is a comforting FUN religion FACT. Many of our present catechumens and candidates have found that specific reason for choosing CATHOLICISM; Our longevity with apostolic succession, beginning at GALILEE with JESUS of NAZARETH.

Tonight and the whole Easter season, is about our religion:
Being proud of it!
Being attentive to it!
Being thankful for it! NO MATTER WHAT!

And here we are…. Not being together in a large assembly …. To do what our religion calls us to do.

Let me ask you: you are all faithful participants of our parish. All of you watching:
1. When did “participating” in the parish become so strong in you?
2. Was anyone in particular “your hero” to imitate?
3. When did regularly coming to church and to Mass become so consistent, so strong, and so necessary?

Thinking about that FIRST “embrace”, as the women today embraced Jesus and did Him homage, perhaps can strengthen you in a good way during this STAY AT HOME TIME.

I do feel “bad” that we cannot be together. This change is DIFFICULT.

I read that Dr. Amy Acton has said:

“LIFE IS NOT SHUTTING US DOWN. LIFE IS WAKING US UP!”

CONCLUSION:

Let us experience this wake up time and remain together in faith and religion.

Happy Easter everybody!