Happy Easter!

Homily for the Easter Vigil
by Father Gabriel, OP

Dear brothers and sisters, dear candidates for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion,

Tonight the Church cannot be silent.
She must sing.
She must exult.

This is the night—as we heard in the ancient chant of the Exultet—
the night when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.

The night when earth and heaven kissed,
when the darkness was scattered by the radiant dawn of Christ.

What we celebrate tonight is not a memory, but a mystery—
not just something that happened,
but something happening—now, to us, for us, within us.

The Resurrection is not merely Jesus’ victory—
it is our hope,
our joy,
our inheritance,
our life!

Look at the women in the Gospel tonight.

They came to the tomb at dawn, carrying spices—
symbols of grief, loss, and finality.

They expected death.
They expected silence.
They expected the heavy stone of despair.

But what they found changed everything:
An empty tomb.
Two angels.
And a message that shattered every fear:

"Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen!"

Yes! He has risen!
Death is defeated!
Sin is forgiven!
Hell is plundered!

Just like in that stirring homily of St. John Chrysostom,
proclaimed for centuries in the Eastern Church:

“Let no one mourn! For the Savior’s death has set us free.
Let no one fear death! For the death of our Savior has destroyed it.
O Death, where is your sting?
O Hell, where is your victory?”

And tonight, dear friends who will be baptized, confirmed, and receive the Eucharist for the first time—
this night is for you.

All of salvation history has led to this moment.
The light of the Paschal candle, rising in the dark, proclaims that your darkness is over.

The waters of Baptism will bury your sins and raise you to new life.
The holy oil will seal you with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
And the Eucharist will feed you with the very Body and Blood of the Risen Christ.

You are not joining an institution—
you are being joined to a Person.
To the One who walked out of the tomb.

You will become members of His Body, the Church.
You will not just believe in the Resurrection—
you will live it.

To all of you gathered here tonight,
whether brimming with joy or weary with burdens—
the Church sings for you too:

This is the night!

If you are broken—Christ is your healing.
If you are trapped in sin—Christ is your freedom.
If you have fallen away—Christ says, “Come home.”
If you are afraid of death—Christ has gone before you and broken its power.

This is the night
when slaves are set free,
when the lowly are lifted up,
when sinners are washed clean,
when the doors of Heaven are thrown wide open!

Let the Alleluia rise in our hearts again!
Let our tears be wiped away by the joy of the empty tomb!
Let our doubt be consumed by the fire of the Resurrection!

Let every baptized soul remember tonight that we are children of the Light—
no longer prisoners of fear,
but sons and daughters of the King!

So, as we now move toward the baptismal font,
toward the table of the Eucharist,
let us go with the joy of those women at the tomb.

Let us run with Peter to see the miracle for ourselves.

Let us proclaim with all the saints,
with St. John Chrysostom,
and with the entire Church:

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!

O death, where is your victory?
O hell, where is your sting?

Christ is risen—and you, O death, are annihilated!
Christ is risen—and we are raised with Him!

Christ is risen! He is truly risen!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!