Easter Vigil 2018
The whole purpose of Lent is for this evening – at least historically speaking. The Easter Vigil was the service when those who had been separated from the church because of reportedly “notorious sin” were finally restored to the community after prayer, fasting, and self-examination. But not only that, on this evening new converts to the faith were welcomed into the church through the sacrament of baptism.
On this night the candidates for baptism would finally come into the church to experience the holy mysteries of Holy Communion for the first time. The catechumenates, the technical term for the candidates for Holy Baptism, would be dressed in white robes and anointed with fragrant oils to prepare for the death of their past life– and made ready through baptism to enter into the new life in Christ.
This is a night to get excited about. Fire, candles, and noise makers. And we will make proclamations in a moment, alongside Bob when he professes his baptismal vows, and we reaffirm ours. We will say things enthusiastically like: We will! I believe! I will with God’s help!
And that is what the Christian life is about – it’s about choosing life with gusto – choosing life for ourselves and life for others. As the Jewish toast goes “L’chaim!” To life and for life! Tonight we are making proclamations of choosing a life filled with love, light, compassion, justice and faith. And it is a life where we say to all that destroys life, whether it be in body, mind or spirit. We are saying no to the destructive forces in the world.
One of the things that Jesus promised us in John’s Gospel, is that in Christ we are given life, life in abundance. The full quote from John 10:10 from the King James Version of the Bible is the following, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
So how do we get that abundant life? There are so many ways but tonight I am just going to recommend one. Author Derek Sivers, in his book Anyway you Want, 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur gives the following advice: (and I quote directly from his work with a slight softening of language…erm…)
Use this rule if you’re often over-committed or too scattered.
If you’re not saying “He[ck] YEAH!” about something, say “no”.
When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than “Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! He[ck] yeah!” — then say “no.”
When you say no to most things, you leave room in your life to really throw yourself completely into that rare thing that makes you say “HE[CK] YEAH!”
Every event you get invited to. Every request to start a new project. If you’re not saying “HE[CK] YEAH!” about it, say “no.”
We’re all busy. We’ve all taken on too much. Saying yes to less is the way out. (sivers.org/hellyeah)
So, how does this apply to us?
As far as Christians go, you do know that Episcopalians have been deemed the Frozen Chosen? Don’t worry, we are in good company. Here is one definition –
frozen chosen n.
Also: God’s frozen chosen. Christians in mainline denominations whose church services and styles of worship are more formal and orderly than the services of other denominations such as Pentecostals, Evangelicals, and charismatics. Christians designated “the frozen chosen” are usually Presbyterians …Episcopalians …or members of other mainline denominations….See also *First Church of the Frigidaire. http://www.dictionaryofchristianese.com/frozen-chosen/
So we may be a rather reserved bunch who appreciate the formality of the liturgy, but underneath it, let us be Christians who are constantly saying “He[ck] yeah” to our walk with Christ, whether it is in love or in service, in fervent prayer or in study, or in our worship with one another Sunday by Sunday.
We can practice now as we turn to the liturgy of the baptism.
Praise the Lord and Happy Easter!
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