Bishop Jugis preaches at Easter Vigil: Share the light, love of Christ in this broken world
Show GalleryCHARLOTTE — “This is the night that with a pillar of fire banished the darkness of sin! This is the night that even now, throughout the world sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them to His holy ones.”
The Exsultet – the “Praeconium Paschale,” or Easter Proclamation – at the start of the Easter Vigil should inspire all Catholics to share the light and love of Christ with others, Bishop Jugis preached April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
The three-hour liturgy commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ began with the blessing of the Paschal fire and lighting of the Paschal candle at the Marian grotto outside the cathedral. Then hundreds of faithful processed behind Bishop Jugis – candles in hand – into the darkened cathedral to hear the Exsultet chanted by Deacon Brian McNulty. Slowly, the cathedral was bathed in candlelight from hundreds of candles lit from the single Paschal candle.
“I was struck by the beautiful singing by our deacon of the Exsultet,” Bishop Jugis noted in his homily, particularly the following words: “But now we know the praises of this pillar, which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light…”
The light remained undimmed despite being shared, the bishop emphasized, calling everyone’s attention to how their candles spread light throughout the cathedral after being lit from the Paschal candle, which remained undimmed.
“That is the way it is with the charity of Christ, which we receive from the heart of Christ Himself,” Bishop Jugis said, “shared through many Christian lives, undimmed, but spreading out into the world to be a leaven, lifting up the world with the love of Christ.”
In his homily, Bishop Jugis also reflected on Jesus’ gift of Himself for the salvation of the world – a message he touched upon throughout Holy Week leading up to Easter.
“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is real,” he said. “That is the miracle that we Christians celebrate on this Easter Sunday and every day of our lives.”
“Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
Catechumens approach the altar to receive the sacrament of confirmation during the Easter Vigil April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. “Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor