The Catholic tradition of the Easter Vigil tells the full story of Christ’s redeeming love, concluding with His promise.
From sacrifice to rescue to promise…what a journey! This is the third and final installment on the salvation history given at the Easter Vigil. The other two can be found here: https://agapecatholicministries.info/uncategorized/sacrifice-the-easter-vigil-part-i/ and here: https://agapecatholicministries.info/church/rescue-easter-vigil-part-ii/The final Old Testament readings at the Easter Vigil show God’s promise of the savior. We remember this promise the night we are keeping watch for Christ’s resurrection. Death did not destroy our savior. Our savior conquered death. He conquered our sin, and we will resurrect with Him in Heaven one day.
Reading 6: Baruch 3: 9-15, 32—4:4.
“He (God) has traced out the whole way of understanding. And has given her to Jacob, His servant, to Israel, His beloved son.”
God does not promise an abstract savior. He tells His chosen people where the savior will come from. He will descend as a man from the line of Jacob, in the nation of Israel. This line leads to David, and from David all the way to Joseph and Bethlehem.
The savior of the world was never a “bedtime story” Jewish and Israelite parents told their children. The Messiah was a real man, a man they expected, a man they prayed for. The savior was a real concept they kept vigil for, for hundreds of years. Easter is a good time to remember this all happened! Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday were real days. The Jewish people expected Christ for a long time. They kept watch and waited. God gave them hope, and He fulfilled it.
Reading 7: Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28.
“You shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Here, God reveals to Ezekiel that He will renew the face of the earth. He will scatter His people and draw them back. God will give them clean hearts. He will cleanse them of their idols. The Lord will send His spirit to bring harmony again between Him and mankind.
Christ’s death and resurrection fulfills all of this. He binds back what’s broken. His death fulfills the sacrifice needed to spare us from sin. Jesus’ presence is the rescue. His resurrection is the promise. It’s a fantastical story when you think about it:
A king creates goodness, but His own creation brings evil. The king banishes evil, battles it, and raises heroes within it. But ultimately, death itself must be conquered to restore true life. So, the king sacrifices His own son to pay the price. Because He is a good king. We are His people; He is our God. And not even death itself can take that away.
