"O Truly Blessed Night!"

Across the globe, the Church gathers on Easter vigil night to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. This is the greatest night. It is the greatest of all nights. There is a greatness to this night that is unlike any other night. The greatness of the night comes because on this night God’s saving work reaches its crescendo. The greatness of this night is because night is no more. Even night is now day. The greatness of this night is because death is no more. Even death is now life. The greatness is because Jesus Christ, risen from the dead is life, light, and eternity of the human race and, indeed, of all creation.

“The Exultet,” which the Church proclaims at the beginning of the vigil, addresses this night as “O truly blessed night!” It is a truly blessed night because it alone was worthy to know the time and hour when Christ rose from the underworld. Of this night, The Exultet says, “This is the night of which it is written: The night shall be as bright as day, dazzling is the night for me, and full of gladness. The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness, washes faults away, restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners. This night drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty!” This is the truly blessed night, as The Exultet says, “when things of heaven are wed to those of earth, and divine to the human!”

It is important, then, that the Church gathers the night of Easter Vigil. Even though we may not know, as The Exultet laments, “the time and the hour when Christ arose from the underworld,” we do know that this night changed human destiny. The Church gathers this night to do homage, to offer worship, to bow to the One who is the Light, Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and Lord of eternity.

There is much to be said about the reason for the night to be as bright as day. The Exultet lays out the effects of Christ’s resurrection. It has put an end to the very wickedness that claimed Jesus’ life. His resurrection has liberated the human race from the eternal sin of its first parents, restored humanity to its original innocence, and brought joy to those who mourn. This night has banished hatred and instead fostered reconciliation and peace. This night also has also declared the end of the rulers of the world who befriend wickedness and hatred. Truly, this night brings heaven to earth and earth to heaven. Truly, this night brings humanity to God in a way that is irrevocable. The Exultet understands the power of the night on which Christ rose from the dead. It is supremely significant the Church begins the Easter vigil under the light of the Paschal Candle, declaring the victory of this night.

As we celebrate Easter 2025, is it important that we keep the power of that first Easter night in view. The world that Christ reconciled to heaven is facing its worst dehumanization since the great Wars. The very land that first laid eyes on the risen Lord has seen and entire people being wiped out in a blatant homicide. Elsewhere in the world too, wickedness is rampant. The mighty of the world have assumed unparalleled power, the innocent are being trampled down, the poor and vulnerable are despairing, and the rights of people are being systematically obliterated. The freedom that Christ won for the people is itself endangered.

When the Church gathers this Easter, it must not merely find itself in the night that proclaimed liberation but became the agent of the risen Lord who won the ultimate victory over the darkness of evil. Yes, night itself has declared that it is banished. Death itself has declared that it’s victory is no more. It is time for us to let night be no more. It is time for us to bury death. For on the night that Christ rose from the dead, night became day and death became life. It is indeed a "truly blessed night!"

Fr. Satish Joseph