Easter Vigil (A) sermons
This Is the Night, Easter Vigil (A) – April 4, 2026
[RCL] Psalm 114; Romans 6:3-11; Matthew 28:1-10 As Christians all throughout the world gather on this night, there is a shift in time itself. When we gather for this holy night, we pray: This is the night, when you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt, and led them through…
In the Darkness, The Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2023
[RCL] Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21; Psalm 114; Romans 6:3-11; Matthew 28:1-10 The Easter Vigil is a dramatic service. It is the first service of Easter Day. In this holy night, before the lilies, the brunches, and the flowered crosses of the morning, we begin quietly, in near darkness. With the scratching of a match or flint…
He Has Been Raised from the Dead, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2020
[RCL]: Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21; Psalm 114; Romans 6:3-11; Matthew 28:1-10 Imagine this, a conversation between two women named Mary, long ago and far away: “Let’s go home, Mary. There’s nothing more to be done, really. It’s pointless.” “No, Mary, it’s important that we anoint his body, if we can. That’s what we do.” “But it’s…
Life After Breath, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2017
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable unto thee. O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer. Amen. Now I want you all to close your eyes, go ahead, close them for just a moment. Now take a deep breath. Take it in through your nose and out…
Now What?, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2014
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! OK. Now what? This is the feast of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But what does “resurrection” mean? If I were to ask you to define it, how would you? Humorist David Sedaris ran into this dilemma while living in France…
How Blessed Is This Night…, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2011
“How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and we are reconciled to God.” These are the words of the church, sung in the Exsultet with which the Easter Vigil begins. How blessed is this night. This is the night when we tell again the great stories of our faith, ancient words…
Come See the Place Where He Lay, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2005
There are places where time seems to disappear. Travelers know all about that feeling. It is a feeling. A “place” may be many things. Finding an old family Bible in the attic, opening it to a page where births, marriages, and deaths are recorded. You recognize the name of a great-grandmother whom you didn’t know,…
Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights?, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 2002
Dear Friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share…
In Bach’s St. Matthew Passion…, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 1999
In Bach’s St. Matthew Passion there is a musical theme that is connected to the time between Jesus’ crucifixion and his resurrection. It is in a minor key but it is not sad. Rather it is hopeful. It is expectant. Some might say that it captures both the pain of Jesus’ death for our sakes and the…
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