A listener named Jim calls in and asks, “Why is the Easter Vigil Mass so long?” Father Dave explains that we do a lot more at the Easter Vigil than at a normal Sunday Mass.
“It is the culmination of those who have been preparing to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church,” Father Dave says. “They receive their initiation Sacraments, and if there are groups in your parish that have never been baptized, they would, during the course of the evening, be baptized, confirmed, and receive their first communion. So, even that alone, before I describe any of the other rituals at the Easter Vigil, that’s gonna take some time.”
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Father Dave points out that we review the story of our faith at the Easter Vigil as well: “We want to bring out and highlight all of the most important things in salvation history. One of the things that makes it kinda long is that the liturgy of the word, which typically on a Sunday, is three readings. But for the Easter Vigil, the maximum is nine readings from the Old Testament, and one of the options is reading all nine, and in between each reading, singing a Psalm response.”
“We start in darkness and light a new fire,” Father Dave continues. “We bless the Easter candle that we use throughout the whole year for baptisms and funerals … We do the chanting of the exultant, a praise of the Easter candle that’s sung or chanted, and is essentially saying this beautiful night that this one light comes in and scatters the darkness.” Father Dave explains that in addition to all of these things, we still have the Gospel reading, a homily, and the liturgy of the Eucharist. (Original Air 4-12-17)