Triduum: The Great Vigil of Easter (without Baptism or Reception of New Members)

The Triduum
The Great Vigil of Easter
without Baptism or Reception of New Members

by The Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

See Notes on the Easter Vigil for my approach to and preparations for this service.

Like the children of Israel who watched and waited through the night for the Lord of the Exodus, we too come together this night to watch and wait for the Lord of the Resurrection. We come, as Christians have come since the first century, to keep vigil and to prepare ourselves for the arrival of the Bridegroom who is chief host and guest at the Easter feast to come.

First, we must break the darkness of the night. Like the virgins in the parable, we must light our vigil lights. Our light will be a very special light, for it is the light of Christ which burns atop the Paschal candle and which dispels the darkness -- of night, of sin, of death. Our light will be a constant reminder of the Easter victory during the coming season, at every baptism and at every funeral. But for now, it will burn in vigil as we await the Bridegroom.

When we have settled into our pews for the watch, we hear the storytellers among us sharing the stories of our faith -- the stories of God's salvation history and the covenants which he made with our people. These are our "family" stories. We listen. We sing. We watch. And we wait for the feast to come.

After hearing our stories, we make our last minute preparations to meet our Lord. All must be right for the feast. Those among us who have not yet joined us are brought into membership with us this night, making all who are here part of the family, which is the Church and the Bride of Christ. And so that the whole family is prepared, each of us renews our baptismal vows. As the water touches us, we hear and we feel that grace which was given to us through our baptism.

We are nearly ready. The time is close. Quickly we prepare the room and set the table. Flowers and banners must adorn the space, for it will be a feast to remember.

And then at last He comes! The Easter victory is won! The Bridegroom has come through the darkness to claim his Bride, the Church, to be his own. This is the feast of victory!

LITURGY OF LIGHT

The people gather in the Fellowship Hall for the lighting of the Paschal Candle.

P. The Lord be with you.

C. And also with you.

P. Let us pray. O God, you are like a refiner's fire, and your Spirit kindles the hearts of your faithful people. Bless this flame and those who keep this Easter Vigil so that, burning with desire for life with you, they may be found fit to take part in that festival of Light which has no ending, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C. Amen

The inscription on the Paschal Candle is traced by the Presiding Minister, while saying:

P. Jesus Christ, yesterday and today, the beginning and the ending, Alpha and Omega; all time belongs to him, and all ages; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

C. Amen

The Presiding Minister places the five nails, representing the five wounds of Christ, into the Paschal Candle, while saying:

P. By his holy and glorious wounds, may Christ our Lord guard and keep us.

C. Amen

The Paschal Candle is lighted.

P. May the light of Christ who rises this night in glory scatter the darkness of our hearts and minds.

Let us pray. Pause. Almighty God, pour out your abundant blessing on this lighted candle, so that all who share this night in your holy mysteries may be filled with your grace and spiritual blessings. Once we were in darkness, but since we have become the Lord's people, we are in the light. Help us to live as people who belong to the light, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C. Amen

THE PROCESSION

The people follow the Paschal Candle into the darkened church, singing the response below three times. After the first response, hand candles are lighted from the Paschal Candle and passed among the people, who carry them into their pews and remain standing.

Do not tip a lighted candle.

P. (sing) The Light of Christ!

C. (sing) Thanks be to God!

THE EASTER PROCLAMATION

Remain standing, please.

The Paschal Candle is placed in the center of the chancel while the chancel lights are brought up. During the singing of the Easter Proclamation, the acolyte lights the window candles.

P. Rejoice, now, all heavenly choirs of angels, and celebrate the divine mysteries with exultation; and, for the victory of so great a King, sound the trumpet of salvation. Exult, also, O earth, enlightened with such radiance; and, made brilliant by the splendor of the eternal King, know that the ancient darkness has been banished from all the world. Be glad also, O mother Church, clothed with the brightness of such a light, and let this house resound with the triumphant voices of the peoples. Wherefore, dearly beloved, who stand in the clarity of this bright and holy light, join with me, I ask you, in praising the loving kindness of almighty God; through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and rules with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C. (sing) Amen

P. The Lord be with you.

C. And also with you..

P. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

P. It is indeed right and salutary that we should with full devotion of heart and mind and voice praise the invisible God, the Father Almighty, and his only Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ; who paid for us the debt of Adam to the eternal Father, and who by his precious blood redeemed us from the bondage to ancient sin.

For this indeed is the Paschal Feast in which the true Lamb is slain, by whose blood the doorposts of the faithful are made holy. This is the night in which, in ancient times, you delivered our forebears, the children of Israel, from the land of Egypt; and led them, dry-shod, through the Red Sea. This, indeed, is the night in which the darkness of sin has been purged away by the rising brightness. This is the night in which all who believe in Christ are rescued from evil and the gloom of sin, are renewed in grace, and are restored to holiness. This is the night in which, breaking the chains of death, Christ arises from hell in triumph. For it would have profited us nothing to be born had we not also been redeemed.

Oh, how wonderful the condescension of your loving kindness! Oh, how inestimable the goodness of your love, that to redeem a slave you delivered up your Son! O necessary sin of Adam that is wiped away by the death of Christ! O happy fault that was worthy to have so great a Redeemer! O night truly blessed which alone was worthy to know the time and the hour wherein Christ arose again from hell!

This is the night of which it is written: "and the night is as clear as the day"; and, "then shall my night be turned into day." The holiness of this night puts to flight the deeds of wickedness; washes away sin; restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn; casts out hate; brings peace; and humbles earthly pride.

Therefore, in this night of grace, receive, O holy Father, this evening sacrifice of praise, which the Church lays before you in the solemn offering of the candle. We sing the glories of this pillar of fire, the brightness of which is not diminished even when its light is divided and borrowed. For it is fed by the melting wax which the bees, your servants, have made for the substance of this candle. O night truly blessed in which heaven and earth are joined -- things human and things divine.

We, therefore, pray to you, O Lord, that this candle, burning to the honor of your name, will continue to vanquish the darkness of this night and be mingled with the lights of heaven. May he who is the Morning Star find it burning -- that Morning Star which never sets, that Morning Star which, rising again from the grave, faithfully sheds light on all the human race.

And we pray, O Lord, rule, govern, and preserve with your continual protection your whole Church, giving us peace in this time of our Paschal rejoicing; through the same Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C. Amen

All extinguish their candles and are seated.

STORIES OF A SALVATION PEOPLE

Ideas for the presentation of these stories are at Six Stories for the Easter Vigil
and in the version links below.

While we wait in vigil for the resurrection Lord, we tell the stories of our "family" history, recalling how God loved and saved his people throughout history.

The Story of Creation:

Genesis 1:1-2:4a [RSV or TEV]

Hymn #557 "Let All Things Now Living"

Prayer: C. Amen

The Story of the Flood:

Genesis 7:1-5,11-18; 8:6-18; 8:8-13 [TLW]

Prayer: C. Amen

The Story of Abraham and Isaac:

Genesis 22:1-18 [LB]

Prayer: C. Amen

The Story of the Exodus:

Exodus 14:10-15:1a [TLW or TEV]

Hymn (Canticle) #19 "I Will Sing to the Lord"

The minister sings the first whole verse.
Then the people sing the rest of this Song of Moses and Miriam.

Prayer: C. Amen

The Story of Jonah:

Jonah 3:1-10 [TLW]

Hymn #343:1,2 "Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer"

Prayer: C. Amen

The Story of the Three Young Men:

Daniel 3:1-29 [LB or TLW]

Hymn (Canticle) #18 "All You Works of the Lord"

All stand to sing this song of the three young men.

RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS

P. Sisters and brothers, on this most holy night, the Church keeps vigil, awaiting the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul teaches us that by baptism, we were buried with Christ and lay dead in order that as Christ was raised from the dead in the splendor of the Father, so we should set our feet on the new path of life. Therefore, now that the struggle of Lent is over, let us renew the promises made at our baptism. I ask you, do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil and all his empty promises?

C. I do.

P. Do you believe in God the Father?

C. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

P. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

C. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

P. Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?

C. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

P. Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession of faith which you made and to suffer all, rather than deny Christ?

C. I do so intend, with the help of God.

P. Do you intend to continually conform your life to the divine Word, to be faithful in the use of Word and Sacrament, and in faith, word and action to remain true to the Triune God?

C. I do so intend, with the help of God.

P. The Lord be with you.

C. And also with you.

P. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

P. Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain us and all living things.

By the waters of the flood you condemned the wicked and saved those whom you had chosen, Noah and his family. You led Israel by the pillar of cloud and fire through the sea, out of slavery into the freedom of the promised land. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. By the baptism of his own death and resurrection your beloved Son has set us free from the bondage to sin and death, and has opened the way to the joy and freedom of everlasting life. He made water a sign of the kingdom and of cleansing and rebirth. In obedience to his command, we make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The minister divides the water in the form of a cross.

Pour out your Holy Spirit, so that those who are here baptized may be given new life. Wash away the sin of all those who are cleansed by this water and bring them forth as inheritors of your glorious kingdom.

To you be given praise and honor and worship through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

C. Amen

The Paschal Candle is lowered into the baptismal water as a sign of Christ's burial and rising, as the minister says:

P. May all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism rise also with him to newness of life.

C. Amen

P. People of God, you had made your profession of faith and renewed the vows of your baptism. By water, you were cleansed and brought to newness of life in the Spirit. May God grant that, as this water of remembrance touches you this night, you may feel and know the grace and favor which God has given you through your baptism.

C. Amen

During the Litany which follows, the people are sprinkled with the Baptismal Water as a remembrance of their own baptism. It is appropriate to make the sign of the cross when sprinkled, just as this sign was made upon us at baptism. We proudly bear the sign that makes us Christian -- the cross of Christ.

LITANY OF THANKSGIVING

A. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good: