The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night 2022

Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
April 16, 2022

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,¹

Tonight in this liturgy, we relive the experience of the three women disciples on that first Easter morning. We walk with them in the darkness before the dawn on that first day of the week. We accompany them as they carry the burial spices they have prepared to the tomb.

And along with these brave women, we find that the stone has been rolled away, and that the body of the Lord Jesus is not there.

The Gospel that we just heard tonight tells us that the disciples were disturbed. Then they were terrified when two men dressed in dazzling garments appeared. We can imagine how they felt, when they heard the angels’ words: “He is not here, but he has been raised!”

Jesus Christ is alive!

This Jesus, who we have accompanied in these days, through the final week of his earthly life; this Jesus, who we witnessed just three days ago, being beaten and nailed to a cross, where we watched him die. This Jesus, is alive!

This is the beautiful truth of this holy night, the truth of Easter.

And it is this truth that we need to rediscover, every Easter. Just as those women discovered that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty.

Jesus Christ is alive!

The angels tell the women in the Gospel tonight, that the Resurrection is all a part of the plan: As we just heard: “Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”

So God, obviously, has a plan, my brothers and sisters. We can never forget that. In these times when the world seems so disturbed, with war and divisions. God is still the ruler of nations, he is the Lord of history. Jesus is the One we can turn to, he is the One who can save us and give us peace.

That is the meaning of this long, beautiful chain of readings that we have heard this evening, all the ancient wonders that God has performed for his people since the beginning of creation.

So today we especially pray for the people of Ukraine. They are suffering so much and we, with Pope Francis, continue to pray for peace in the world.

So the One who can save us and give us peace is our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the meaning of these long, beautiful reasons that we have heard this evening — all the ancient wonders that God has performed for his people since the beginning of creation.

So in the final Psalm that we prayed tonight, we pray with all the children of God throughout the ages of salvation history. As we just prayed: “His mercy endures forever! … I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord!”

So my dear brothers and sisters, this is our prayer, our new song, as Christians. Jesus Christ is alive! And because he is alive, we will not die, we can rise with him!

St. Paul says in the second reading of tonight: “Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.”

So tonight, let us rise from the struggles and suffering of this world and unite our lives with the Risen Lord!

The Gospel tonight tells us that the women “returned from the tomb and announced all these things.” This is our mission, my brothers and sisters, this is the beautiful purpose of our lives.

So let us walk with Jesus now and live like Jesus and love like Jesus. And let us light up this world by our joy, by our love!

Let us live our faith, right where we are! Live and love like Jesus in our jobs, in our homes, at school, in our ministries, in everything we do.

Let us try to make everything we do something that is beautiful and pleasing to God, always looking for ways to help others get to know him and to love him and to feel his love for them.

So if we try to love him and serve him in everything we do, we will find joy and peace. Our lives will become a shining path that leads others to Jesus, and that leads us to heaven.

Jesus Christ is alive, brothers and sisters. Let us rise with him, and go tell the world!

And may Our Blessed Mother Mary go with us as we walk with Jesus who is alive. May she help us to rise with him and go tell the world of his love!

So Happy Easter to you and your families. Let us keep in mind what we are hearing tonight and what we are witnessing tonight — Christ is live!