There are some who will never experience the beauty of the Easter Vigil. If possible the attendance of this Mass is something which I highly recommend. Nevertheless, I understand that this may be impossible. The Easter Vigil is filled with beautiful symbols which sum up our Christian faith. The readings which are proclaimed can be lengthy, but they instruct us on the course of salvation history which reaches its culmination through our Lord’s Resurrection.
Throughout the Lenten season we are preparing for this same encounter with our Lord’s Resurrection. Through the Cross and Resurrection of our Lord we come to triumph over sin and death. This is the message which is proclaimed to us from the waters of baptism.
In our Gospel Christ comes to proclaim, “I am the light of the world.” Through sin and death this light comes to be blocked from reaching its full potential. Through the Resurrection the darkness of sin and death can no longer block this great light which shines forth. At the Easter Vigil we start Mass in complete darkness, but from the light of a candle, which represents our Lord’s Resurrection, light begins to spread dispelling the darkness from our midst.
Our Lenten journey is very much so connected to this message, for it is a journey to make way for the Lord, in order that He may shine forth in our life all the more. From the waters of baptism, from which we have been baptized, we came forth from them in the words of the psalmist as being “whiter then snow.” Sadly, we allow sin to lead us astray causing blindness to be brought to our sight.
Easter is to have this blindness ripped away as we begin to recommit ourselves unto the Lord. In the Easter season we will have the opportunity to make a renewal of our baptismal promises. Hopefully, when we renew these vows we do so with a true spirit of renewal which recommits ourselves to what was begun when we entered into the life giving waters of baptism.
Today we come to celebrate the second Scrutiny, which focuses upon this same reality for those among us who now prepare themselves to enter into these same waters from which we have entered. There is a very serious commitment which is taking place here because through baptism they are committed unto the Lord. The Lord ,who through baptism, will wash away all of their sin, especially original sin, which is inherited by the Fall.
