Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end

The church was enshrouded in a dim blackness.  Everyone waited.  The golden tabernacle door propped open showed the emptiness within.  Shadows and reflections of the firelight leaped and shifted across the altar, coming from the wide open doors at the back.  

Then, like a wave of water breaking on a still shore, in a chanting voice came loud and clear the words, "Christ yesterday and today / the Beginning and the End / the Alpha / and the Omega / All time belongs to him / and all the ages / To him be glory and power / through every age and for ever. Amen"

Minutes later, as the procession with the flickering light of the Pascal candle held high moved down the aisle, I watched the beautiful symbolism unfold.  The priest stopped to hold the candle higher while singing, "The Light of Christ"  and the voice of the whole people swelled into one response,"Thanks be to God."

One small candle was lit from the single flame, it in turn passed it on to to others, until the light began to spread through the church.  Where only a moment ago darkness had reigned, now radiant candle-light shone forth.  The immense beauty of it all pierced my heart... The candle in my hand, the one in my brother's, the one flickering across the ederly lady's face in front of me... They all helped dispel the darkness, to provide glory and radiance.  And it all began with that one steady flame.  The Pascal Candle burning brightly.  One source.  One light.  The light of Christ. ♥

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I love how Easter is such a celebration of the Light. (especially apparent at the Vigil Mass.)  We've just experienced the immense darkness of Jesus on the Cross, and the empty blackness of the tomb, and then with the Resurrection comes a new dawn.  A new light to the world.

And we get to celebrate it in a very special way all week.  Actually all the way until Pentecost.  Fifty days. #AintNoPartyLikeACatholicParty

This year especially, I found myself really pondering the "light" metephor.  (yes, probably mostly because of my blog title.....)

Our priest spoke about how in Genesis, at the beginning of creation, God said, "Let there be light."  But then he didn't actually create the sun, moon, and stars until day five!  So somehow there was "light" before that.  He said "The whole of creation was infused with the glory of God."  Isn't that beautiful?

When Jesus rises from the dead, he provides that new light also, separate from the sun, moon, and stars.  "The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world" (Jn 1:9).

Through suffering, death, and the cross Jesus rises to new glory.  He sacrifices the greatest thing of all: His life.  "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  And Jesus did this for sinners.  Those undeserving of His love.  His enemies even.  Can you imagine.  
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men" (Jn 1:4-5).

And so we rejoice and celebrate in this Easter season because of that redeeming life and light.  But it's not enough to just party it up and then go back to our former lives.  Rather, we have to let the light radically change us.  To be infused within us.  To take possession of our whole being.  To be so full of Christ's light that it spills over into those around us.  

That's the challenge of this Easter season.  To let all this beauty + goodness + love change us for the better.  To open ourselves to God's will.  Begin to live our lives completely the way God wants us to, penetrated always by His resplendent light. 

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"I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly." 

Jn 10:10

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