When the bells ring out on Easter Sunday morning, how many will remember that the resurrection they celebrate was an event barely whispered about at the time? Everything begins modestly, with a negative sign, the empty tomb. And the first echo of Christ’s resurrection is simply the sobbing of Mary Magdalene.

But then, here and there, Jesus appears, practicing a new humility. Few see him, and even they see little of him. Among the disciples, some still doubt, and they all need time to recognise him.

[From a meditation by Fr Guy Delage, SJ]

While appreciating the Lord’s discretion at the very heart of this event that has brought so much Life to men and women of all times, let us meditate on the Exultet, the Easter Proclamation sung at the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God’s throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!

This is our passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.
This is the night when the pillar of fire
destroyed the darkness of sin!

This is the night when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin
and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night when Jesus Christ
broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.
What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?

Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave
you gave away your Son.

O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!
Most blessed of all nights, chosen by God
to see Christ rising from the dead!

Therefore, Heavenly Father, accept this Easter candle,
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.

Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning
to dispel the darkness of the night!