By Amanda Murthy
“Jesus offers us the opportunity of a lifetime of being made new again, of deepening our faith which we have, because of the experience of His love.”
Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton shared these words to the congregation of Mirrabooka Parish, St Gerard Majella Catholic Church, during his homily at the Easter Vigil Eucharist last Sunday 21 April.
Recounting the events celebrated leading up to Easter, Bishop Sproxton led the Eucharist for the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way and parishioners of Mirrabooka, saying it was in the events of Maundy Thursday that Jesus first instituted the Eucharist and the liturgy.
Joining Bishop Sproxton as concelebrants were Mirrabooka Parish Priest, Fr Giosue Marini, and Assistant Parish Priest Fr David Adan-Ramirez, Redemptoris Mater Seminary Rector Fr Michael Moore SM and Spiritual Director Fr Joe Pelle, Ellenbrook Assistant Parish Priest, Fr Marcello Parra-Gonzalez and the University of Notre Dame Senior Lecturer (Sacramental Theology) Fr Vincent Glynn.
The all-night vigil, which commenced at 11.30pm and concluded at 5.00am, included the baptism for four infants and one adult, and was attended by some than 250 people.
The Mass included eight readings of the Pascal Vigil as well as the Gospel, and was also marked with songs of the Neocatechumenal Way.
Children who attended also sang a song derived from Hebrew traditions, which was followed by questions about the Easter triduum.
“That was the moment Jesus gave us a great sign on how to be there for each other and how to love each other, in the washing of the feet,” Bishop Sproxton said.
“We then move into the next part of the liturgy which was Good Friday, we finished the Good Friday liturgy at the tomb.
“At the beginning of the Eucharist tonight, we gather around the fire – and for me this is a tremendous symbol of us beginning our celebration. The fire at the scene of Jesus resurrection was a bigger flame and it lighted up the night, dispelling the darkness.”
Bishop Sproxton said the celebration of the Easter Vigil strengthens the belief of all Christians in the resurrection of Jesus.
“That resurrection of course is something we will see the fruit of in the life of these four candidates who will be brought to their Baptism,” Bishop Sproxton said.
“The little babies will come to know what darkness is in their lives, it is a journey that the Lord permits each of us – to journey in our lives and to discover what real darkness is like.”
Recalling the Gospel reading, Bishop Sproxton said the news of Jesus resurrection had been initially impossible to accept by the same disciples who had witnessed the crucifixion, death and who had seen the lifeless body of Jesus several times in His tomb.
“But we hear that it was Jesus Himself that would remind His disciples of the things that He had already told them when they were in Galilee before they even got to Jerusalem before His death and again later when they were on the road to Emmaus,” he added.
“These disciples were commissioned by Jesus to be the first of the preachers of this faith, the first to give catechesis to the Church.”
Bishop Sproxton ended his homily by urging those present to pray that Christ will continue to shed light upon the darkness that we would really come to understand not just ourselves but the deep love of God, the one whom we can trust, who can bring new life to us and create of us a new person.
“It is in faith that we celebrate Easter Vigil. We pray that in this time of renewal, the renewal of faith and hope will come to us – that we can believe and trust in that companion who walks with us who is Jesus, who is the light that shows us the way,” Bishop Sproxton concluded.