Easter Blessings

Greetings,

Father lights the Easter Candle held
by Sister Penny while Sisters Acolyte
and Sacristan look on.

Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday are filled with all the symbol, sacrament, and sacred to fill a year of Sundays.  This year we were blessed with perfect weather for the blessing of the Easter Fire and new Easter Candle.  Many of the sisters, our family members, and friends gathered in front of the Chapel as Father blessed the new fire, carefully tended by our Sister Gardener, as Sister Penny, prioress, held the Easter Candle for procession.  But the fire blessing is only the beginning...the coals from the fire were used to light the incense for the Vigil, and then the whole of the gathering slowly processed inside to our Chapter Room for the Liturgy of the Word. 

After remembering God's promises through all seven of the Old Testament readings and Epistle, we rejoiced to sing out the "Alleluias" for the Gospel.  The homily wasn't as short as Mark's Gospel, but Father focused on four little words from Mark that changed the world..."He is not here!"

We then followed Sister Prioress and the Easter Candle to the entrance of the Chapel and our newly filled water font for the blessing of water, our renewal of Baptismal promises and the sprinkling rite.  In the midst of this solemn profession, Father doused us all quite well with the Holy Water; until he got to the Prioress and Acolyte.  These sisters had their hands full of the Roman Missal, incense, and Easter Candle; with a broad smile on his face, he lightly touched each of their forheads with the aspergillum (sprinkler).  Newly blessed and renewed in spirit, we all processed in statio into the semi-light of the Chapel.  The sisters at the front lit tapers from the Easter Candle to light all the altar and dedication candles as we sang the Gloria.

It was wonderful to fill the arches of our Upper Chapel with soaring music again.  The sanctuary and altar festooned with white lilies, bright spring flowers, and pussy-willow branches all reminding us of new life.  As the Chapel lights flickered to life, we continued with song, prayer and praise.  It was a joyous night to share with our sisters, family members, and friends of the monastery.

Blessings,