Bible Study, Prayer, and Homily Resources
by Fr. Tommy Lane
During the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening I asked how we can share in the grace of Jesus’ death now. When we celebrate Mass, we are 2000 years old because we are spiritually present at Calvary when Jesus gave his body for us. We share in the grace of Jesus’ death when we receive him in Holy Communion, his body given for us. Tonight I ask another question: how do we share in Jesus’ resurrection now? The answer is: baptism. Paul wrote in the epistle we heard tonight (Rom 6:3-11) that when we were baptized, we, so to speak, died with Jesus, entered the tomb with Jesus, and rose to new life with him. Baptism forgives all sins in a person’s life up to that point. We use water for washing and so baptizing with water symbolizes the washing away of original sin and for adults the washing away of all other sins up to that point. When an adult is baptized, it really is entering the tomb with Jesus and rising to new life with Jesus. We share in Jesus’ resurrection through baptism. That is why if there are adult converts in a parish, they are baptized during the Easter Vigil when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
The Easter fire, from which we lit the Paschal Candle, represents Jesus’ resurrection, the light of Jesus triumphing over darkness. The Paschal Candle symbolizes Jesus’ victory over death. There are five grains of incense on the candle, one at each of the four corners of the cross and one in its center, symbolizing Jesus’ wounds: the two wounds in his hands, the two wounds in his feet and the wound in his side. When Jesus appeared to the apostles after his resurrection, he bore those five wounds (John 20:27) so the candle representing Jesus risen from the dead also contains symbols of those five wounds. Above the cross on the candle, there is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, Alpha (A) and below the cross the last letter of the Greek alphabet, Omega (Ω), because three times in the last book of the New Testament, Jesus refers to himself as the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8; 21:6; 22:13): Alpha because he is the first, the origin, the source of everything and we were created through him; Omega because he is the end or goal or destiny of us all as we journey towards eternity with Jesus in the next life.
Soon we will hold candles lit again from the Paschal Candle representing Jesus as we will renew our baptismal promises. When baptism is celebrated, part of the ceremony is renouncing Satan and professing faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is part of baptism because baptism is not a magic charm but turning over one’s entire life to Jesus, having Jesus as the guide for everything in one’s life afterwards. When a baby is baptized, the parents and godparents renounce Satan and profess faith in God on behalf of the baby. So, when we will renew our baptismal promises soon, we will repeat what happened at our baptism: we will renounce Satan and profess our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with candles lit from the Paschal Candle representing Jesus risen from the dead. It is one way we share in Jesus’ resurrection, turning over our life to Jesus.
We also share in Jesus’ resurrection when we receive him in Holy Communion. In John 6, Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (John 6:54) On Thursday I asked how we can share in the grace of Jesus’ death now. Tonight, I ask another question: “how do we share in Jesus’ resurrection now?” We do so through baptism and receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. Praying at home is better than nothing but to fully participate in Jesus’ life now and the salvation he gained for us through his death and resurrection, we receive the Eucharist, Jesus’ body given for us.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2025
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Easter Vigil
Make space for the risen Jesus 2022
Christ is risen! The night is as clear as day! 2011
Jesus risen is the light of the world 2008
Roll away the stone and meet the risen Jesus
You will meet the risen Jesus in Galilee in your everyday life
Related Homilies: Jesus did rise on Easter Sunday! 2021