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Holy Saturday – The Vigil of Easter April 19, 2025 Pastor Tom Steers Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto The Vigil of Easter is celebrated this evening. The Christian observance that began on Holy Thursday and continued through Good Friday and Holy Saturday, now reaches a high point in the initial celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. This celebration will continue tomorrow morning and throughout the seven weeks of the Easter season. In the ancient church, the Vigil of Easter was the most important service of the Church Year. Christians would gather after sunset on Holy Saturday and hold vigil (“keep watch”) throughout the night, praying, listening to readings of Holy Scripture, and singing psalms and hymns, culminating in the celebration of the resurrection of Christ at dawn. I have provided here part of a service for the Easter Vigil. THE SERVICE OF LIGHT – The Invocation: Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen. The Invitation: P: Beloved in the Lord, on this most holy night, in which Our Lord Jesus passed over from death into life, we are gathered here in vigil and in prayer. This is the Passover of the Lord in which, by hearing His Word and celebrating His Sacraments, we share in His victory over death. Collect: P: Let us pray: O God, You are like a refiner's fire, and Your Spirit enkindles the hearts of Your faithful people with the fire of Your love. Bless, we implore You, this new flame and those who keep this joyful Easter festival that, burning with desire for life with You, we may be found rightly prepared to share in the Feast of Light which has no end; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. Blessing of the Paschal Candle – P: Christ Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever, the beginning and the ending, (The cross is traced on the Paschal candle) P: The Alpha and the Omega. (The Greek letters Alpha and Omega are traced on the Paschal candle) P: His are time and eternity; His are the glory and dominion, now and forever. (The year is traced on the Paschal candle) P: By His wounds we have healing both now and forever. Amen. (Five wax nails are placed into the Paschal candle) P: May the light of Christ, who is risen in glory from the dead, scatter all the darkness of our hearts and minds. (The Paschal candle is lit) The Collect: P: Let us pray: Almighty and most merciful God, pour out on us Your abundant blessing that all who in true faith share this night in joyful celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, may be filled with Your heavenly benediction. Once we were in darkness, but now we are in the light, even Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen. (All light their candles from the Paschal candle and follow the candle bearer in procession into the darkened church.) Assistant: The light of Christ. C: Thanks be to God. (The bearer of the Paschal candle stops in the middle of the nave, the center of the Sanctuary) A: The light of Christ. C: Thanks be to God. (When all have processed, entered into the Sanctuary, the bearer of the Paschal candle lifts the candle high.) A: The light of Christ. C: Thanks be to God. Proper Preface: P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places, with all our heart and mind and voice, praise You, O Lord, Holy Father, almighty everlasting God, and Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. For He is the very Paschal Lamb who offered Himself for the sin of the world, who has cleansed us by the shedding of His precious blood. This is the night when You brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the Red Sea on dry ground. This is the night when all who believe in Christ are delivered from bondage to sin and are restored to life and immortality. This is the night when Christ, the Life, arose from the dead. The seal of the grave is broken and the morning of the new creation breaks forth out of night. Oh, how wonderful and beyond all telling is Your mercy toward us, O God, that to redeem a slave You gave Your Son. How holy is this night when all wickedness is put to flight and sin is washed away. How holy is this night when innocence is restored to the fallen and joy is given to those downcast. How blessed is the night when man is reconciled to God in Christ. Holy Father, accept now the evening sacrifices of our thanksgiving and praise. Let Christ, the true light and morning star, shine in our hearts, He who gives light to all creation, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (All extinguish their candles and are seated) Our First Hymn: “O Perfect Life of Love” Lutheran Service Book, 452 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tTMrEShmw SERVICE OF READINGS – Introduction to Readings P: In this most holy night our Saviour, Christ the Lord, broke the power of death and by His resurrection brought life and salvation to all creation. Let us praise the Lord, for He truly keeps His word. The sun of righteousness has dawned upon us who have sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. The Creation – Genesis 1:1—3:24. P: Let us pray: Almighty God, through Your Word and Spirit You most wonderfully created all things, and through the Word made flesh You brought new life to fallen humanity. Grant that in Your mercy we may be conformed to the image of Him who shares fully in our humanity, even Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen. The Flood – Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 P: Let us pray. O Lord, You kill and You raise to life; You brought the flood upon a wicked and perverse generation, and yet You saved faithful Noah and his family in the ark. Keep us in safety in the ark of Christ's body, the Church, that Your mercy may come to its fullness and Your salvation be preached to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen. Israel's Deliverance at the Red Sea – Exodus 14:10-15:1 P: Let us pray. O God, You once delivered Your people Israel from bondage under Pharaoh and led them by a pillar of cloud and fire through the sea to safety. Grant that we may so follow Christ that through the waters of Baptism we may daily die and rise with Him and walk in safety through the wilderness of this life until we see Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen. Salvation Offered Freely to All – Isaiah 55:1-11 P: Let us pray. Almighty God by Your Word You created and sustain all things, and by Your Spirit You renew Your creation. Grant now the water of life to all who thirst for You that they may bring forth abundant fruit in Your Glorious kingdom; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen. The Fiery Furnace – Daniel 3:1-20. P: Let us pray. O God, Your Son protected faithful Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace of the king. Grant us protection in our time of testing that we would boldly confess Your name, reject all false worship, and live and die in confidence, knowing that we are safe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. SERVICE OF PRAYER LITANY OF THE RESURRECTION – Pastor: O Lord, Congregation: have mercy. P: O Christ, C: have mercy. P: O Lord, C: have mercy. P: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, C: hear us. P: Paschal Lamb, who was offered for us and has taken away the sin of the world, C: have mercy on us. P: Who was crucified for our transgressions and raised for our justification, C: have mercy on us. P: Who foretold Your passion saying, "The Son of Man must be crucified and on the third day rise again," C: have mercy on us. P: Who destroyed death by dying, and by rising to life again brought life and immortality to light, C: have mercy on us. P: Whose resurrection was first announced by an angel to the women, C: have mercy on us. P: Who appeared to Mary Magdalene and was worshiped by her, C: have mercy on us. P: Who revealed Yourself to the two disciples on the Emmaus road and made Yourself known to them in the Scriptures and in the breaking of the bread, C: have mercy on us. P: Who appeared to the disciples, bestowing on them Your peace and Your Spirit, C: have mercy on us. P: Who showed Your wounded hands and side to the apostle Thomas that he too might believe, C: have mercy on us. P: Who appeared to seven disciples on the Sea of Tiberias, bringing a miraculous catch of fish, C: have mercy on us. P: Who appeared to Peter and to the Twelve, to over 500 disciples, to James and to all the Apostles, and to Paul on the Damascus road, C: have mercy on us. P: Who commissioned Your Church to make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching them, C: have mercy on us. P: By Your glorious resurrection from the dead, C: good Lord, deliver us. P: By Your victory over sin and death, C: good Lord, deliver us. P: By the majesty of Your risen body, C: good Lord, deliver us. P: We poor sinners implore You C: to hear us, Lord Jesus. P: That we may daily die and rise with You in our Baptism and walk in the freedom of Your forgiveness, C: grant us, good Lord. P: That we may set our minds on things above and not on earthly things, serving as we have been served by You, C: grant us, good Lord. P: That we may dwell with You forever in the new creation as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, together with all the saints, C: grant us, good Lord. P: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, C: have mercy on us. P: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, C: have mercy on us. P: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, C: grant us Your peace. P: O Lord, C: have mercy. P: O Christ, C: have mercy. P: O Lord, C: have mercy. Amen. SERVICE OF THE WORD EASTER ACCLAMATION – P: Alleluia! Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia! P: Let us pray: O God, You made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection. Preserve in us the spirit of adoption which You have given so that, made alive in body and soul, we may serve You purely; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. Holy Gospel – Mark 16:1-8 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixteenth chapter. “When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ. P: Let us pray: O God, for our redemption You gave Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross and by His glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of the enemy. Grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance and that day by day we may arise to live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Benedicamus and Benediction – Pastor: Let us bless the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God. P: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the +Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you. C: Amen. The Recessional Hymn: “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free” Lutheran Service Book, 473 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3PX5qeKgWQ