The Easter Vigil

On Holy Saturday evening, June and I participated in the Easter Vigil at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Covington, GA. When it came to light the "new fire" outside the church, Fr. Tim asked me--I was a good Boy Scout sixty years ago--to light the fire so that the Paschal Candle might be lit from its flames. Although it was windy, it took only one match to get the bundle of paper and twigs ablaze. Nevertheless, the Pascal Candle declined its lighting in the stiff breezes, and so we had to go to Plan B, as Fr. Tim explained things: we lit the Pascal Candle with a cigarette lighter, and then made our way into the nave singing "Light of Christ," with incense a'plenty. The Rev. Buddy Crawford, the parish deacon ("deacon" here indicating his being in first of the orders toward becoming a priest) chanted the Excultet, the Easter Proclamation, with a absolutely lovely voice. Here's the text sung by the deacon standing next to the Paschal Candle:

Rejoice, heavenly powers!
Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!
Rejoice, O Mother Church!
Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!

Let this place resound with joy,
echoing the mighty song of all God's people!

My dearest friends,standing with me in this holy light,
join me in asking God for mercy, that . . . . (the rest of the Exaltet)

The Eucharist itself was beautifully celebrated, and an infant was baptized during all the happiness. So began our new Eastertide living in the resurrection of Christ. May your Eastertide be as joyous as ours.