Easter Vigil 2026

Easter Vigil 2026

The Easter message is at the heart of our Christian faith. St. Paul says that if Jesus Christ is not risen from the dead, our faith is in vain. Yes, in the words of those who belong to the Orthodox tradition put it: “Christ is alive, he is truly risen!.” At this Easter Vigil, I would like to take out three points from the Gospel we’ve just heard.

Keep on loving – you’ll experience the Resurrection. The first concerns the women who went to the tomb. It is striking to think of these women going to the tomb. The crowds had long stopped following Jesus; the apostles for the most part had all fled once his passion arrived. But the women were faithful. They had understood the heart of Jesus’ message – to love your neighbour as yourself. And just as Jesus had loved to the end, so too they kept on loving. Even when there must have been great darkness in their hearts, they went out to do what we today would call an act of mercy, they went to anoint the dead body of Jesus. Persevering in love, they come to experience the Risen Jesus, to hear his words of consolation and his message. The angel speaks to the women to put fresh heart into them: “Do not be afraid. He is not here; for he has risen” (vv. 5-6). When they meet Jesus, he confirms that the message and says: “Do not be afraid” (v. 10). So, this is a first point. In continuing to love, even when things are difficult, we too can come to experience the Risen Jesus who will speak to our hearts with words of consolation and give us direction.

A second point: it is always possible to begin again in life. The message that it’s always possible to begin again in life really what the Risen Jesus tells the women to say to the apostles. The women are to go and bring the message that Jesus is sending them to Galilee where the whole adventure of following Jesus had first began. Even though they had fled and abandoned Jesus; even though they failed miserably at the greatest test of their love; Jesus’ message is clear. There’s no need to dwell on failures and mistakes and sins. We don’t have to feel we are locked into some self-made prison of our limits and setbacks. What matters is to begin again always – begin again to be the first to love, to go outside ourselves to serve.

Ever since, from generation after generation, this Holy Night instils in us the message, do not be afraid; Jesus is risen; begin again to follow him with a new renewed “yes” in your heart, “yes” to doing God’s will and not ours in life; “yes” to being the first to love, “yes” to believing in love in all circumstances; “yes” to trusting in God’s infinite mercy. We are all called to return regularly to our “Galilee” and begin again.

The third point. We are sent out on mission. The message the women are to give the apostles is that they were not to stand still and stay where they were. The Risen Jesus was sending them on a journey. They were to go to Galilee, an area where people of different cultures and religions lived. In beginning again, the apostles are to go out to continue Jesus’ mission, but this time with him risen among them. They are to be missionary disciples of the Risen Jesus who leads the way.

Dear sisters and brothers, at this Easter Vigil, we will soon renew our baptismal promises. It’s a moment to recognise that we are baptised and sent. Sent to bring the message of the Risen Jesus to the world, overcoming fear and bringing peace. We can’t do this on our own. There is no such thing as a single individual Christian on his or her won. It is together, through our relationships in the Risen Christ — in our love for one another and with all people of goodwill — that we become a counterweight to those who sow hatred and violence.

And there is an urgent need today the hear and see the Risen Jesus’ Gospel of peace when there is so much destruction in our world today. There are more than sixty wars ongoing across the world today. Recently, our attention has focused on the Middle East — the great religious heartland where Christ Himself lived, gave hope, suffered and died. But there are many others: Russia’s war on Ukraine, conflicts in Sudan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Thailand and Cambodia.

While we must raise our voices in earnest appeal to leaders, urging them to step back from destructive escalation and recognise the human cost of conflict, we need to also recall that peace begins home. We are invited to reflect honestly: am I a person of peace? In my thoughts, words and relationships — do I contribute to harmony or to division? Am I faithful to the mandate the Risen Jesus has given us to go out and communicate his message of peace in our life and words? Do people see in me/us the Gospel message of Peace?

Pope Francis often reminded us not to remain on the sidelines of hope, hope that comes from the victory of the Risen Jesus over death and darkness. We are called to act — to create “pockets of peace” in our daily lives that can grow and spread, overcoming evil with good. We are to do so by continuing to love, guided by the Risen Jesus to always begin again to be peace-builders.