Easter Vigil at St. Joseph Parish in Medway, 2008
(Fourth in a series: see Triduum Reflections I and II and III)
At the America blog, James Martin S.J. started an interesting thread under the question, "Is the Easter Vigil too long?" You can check his post to see the directions folks took with this.
Over at the very fine site, The Deacon's Bench, Deacon Greg Kandra picks up the same conversation with his readers. So as the fourth in a series of Triduum Reflections here, I'm asking my readers the same question, "Is the Easter Vigil too long?"
I'll jump in first and few will be surprised at my response. I certainly agree that the Vigil is long but, no, I don't think it's too long. This year our Vigil at Holy Family went 2 hours and 40 minutes - and we celebrated no sacraments of initiation which would have further lengthened the liturgy.
We began out of doors with the lighting of a large fire and processed from there into the church. We proclaimed all nine scripture readings, forsaking the option of fewer lessons. Although we had no baptisms at the Vigil, we did sing the Litany of the Saints, calling on the company of heaven that we might make and welcome new Christians in the years ahead. I confess that the absence of initiation rites may encourage a more leisurely pace in the work of the presider/preacher. Still, my homily at the Vigil was not at all lengthy. The Eucharistic Prayer was sung which makes that portion of the liturgy considerably longer.
When my parish does celebrate baptism at the Vigil, we take a good 10 minute pause in the liturgy when the neophytes are getting dried off and dressed and the assembly can get some fresh air or visit the rest rooms. At this year's Vigil, those who needed a moment or two away from the assembly made such choices on their own.
Wherever you are: did you go the Easter Vigil? Was it too long? What "made it too long?" Have you never been to the Vigil because you know of its length? Those who went and found it not too lengthy - how did the extended time not seem too long to you? Other thoughts and ideas?
-ConcordPastor
The Vigil too long.....never! This year in my parish we did have 2 children being baptized and 2 adult candidates for Confirmation. The Vigil is one of the most beautiful celebrations of the Liturgical year. The music is always exceptional. I looked around our very large church and noticed how many empty seats there were and know it is because some just cannot envision spending 2 hrs or so at ONE service! It continually amazes me that if a regular Sunday mass exceeds 45 mins, or too many verses are sung of the hymns, or if the homilist preaches too long, or whatever the excuse may be, we just complain about spending some extra time in the Lord's presence!
ReplyDeleteI have thought about going. I have gone to the Holy Thursday Mass and it is lengthy for my children to sit through. I have though about going for the Easter Vigil, but am not sure if my kids would become restless the are (11 & 9) and would dread it rather than enjoy it. I myself would like to try to go one year. I think it would be very spiritual and comforting. I have actually said to some that I think that all Catholics should go to all the masses of the Triduum- it is the most holy time of year and I am surprised it is not days of holy obligation.
ReplyDeleteTrue,the Triduum liturgies are not on any list of holy days of obligation. I like to think that the reason for this is because these days are so important to our faith,the church understands and assumes that we will be there. These are the days that define us as Christians, especially the Vigil. Yes, it can be a long night but for me the time passes quickly because I love it so much. There's so much to take in. Our senses are engaged with incense,fire and candles,music,wonderful scripture stories and sacraments. The beautiful Exsultet is chanted by a deacon, priest or a cantor. This is the climax of the service of light, we all hold candles lit from the new fire and new Paschal candle..."Rejoice Heavenly Powers...This is the night!" If you've never heard this sung I urge you to listen to the words on the link below that define this night. Here's one example. I'm sure You tube has others.
ReplyDeleteIs the Easter Vigil long...yes! No doubt about it if it's done well and properly!...but it's my favorite liturgy of the year!!
http://moleski.net/exultet/exultet.mp3
Anne
I'm guessing that the Triduum is not listed as holy days of obligation because the three days of the Triduum are counted as one day--one celebration--of Easter, which is, of course, a holy day of obligation.
ReplyDeleteTriduum is not, as is often thought, made up of Thurday, Friday, and Saturday, with Sunday being a usual, yet more elaborate, Sunday. Triduum begins with the Holy Thurday Mass of the Lord's Supper on Thurday night and ends with Evening Prayer on Sunday night. Thus the three days are counted from Thursday night to Friday night (1), Friday night to Saturday night (2), Saturday night to Sunday night (3).
Therefore, the three days of Triduum could be considered one holy day of obligation because they are essentially the premier Easter celebration of Sunday.
As to the Easter Vigil being too long, in my experience, a liturgy that feels too long (for a person without any additional burdens, such as feeling sick, having toddlers in tow, etc.) is usually a liturgy that is poorly done. One can be at a three-hour liturgy that feels like one hour because everything was so well done. There was no lag time in the transitions, all the ministers knew what they were doing, the music was engaging and well-crafted, the homily was engaging and well-crafted, the environment was hospitable.
On the other hand, one can be at a one-hour liturgy that feels like forever because it was not well prepared. Nothing seemed to flow, ministers looked lost, the celebrant seemed disengaged, the assembly seemed disengaged.
Most well-done Easter Vigils, even with a modest number of persons celebrating the initiation sacraments, run about 2.5 to 3 hours. This year, I was at a parish that proclaimed all the readings and accompanying psalms and collect, had 7 Baptisms and even more Confirmations and First Communions, and we clocked out at 10:45p, having started at 8:00p with the fire. Not once did I look at my watch or think the liturgy was going on too long. And the several younger children present seemed engaged throughout, and parents who needed to attend to their infants felt comfortable enough to come and go as needed.
We should try our best to do the Vigil as it is laid out in the ritual books and not cut corners. But because of its length, we need to be especially attentive to making sure each part flows seamlessly into the next, that no one "hijacks" the liturgy by using their liturgical role for their own needs rather than the assembly's need or the ritual's demands. This happens when the choir "performs" or the preacher "rambles" or one group or another thought it would be a good idea to add something to the liturgy just for the sake of adding it rather than discerning how it served the ritual action, enabled the prayer of the assembly, or enhanced the beauty of the rite.
The Vigil, yes, is long. But it's not meant to be a test of endurance. It's long because it is culmination and source of the liturgical year when we recall our history and how God is with us through all time and renew our commitment to Christ's mystery and bring others into that same mystery.
The Vigil never seems too long to me because I am blessed enough to attend a Vigil that is as well conceived and implemented as the one just described by Diana. Someone once told me that it was the power of the Holy Spirit that creates this sense of timelessness. Still, I must admit to wondering whether a slightly shorter liturgy would tempt more folks who are seeking something more but hesitate because of the length.
ReplyDeleteThe Vigil too long?? Well as others have pointed out it depends upon WHERE you celebrate it...HFP Concord MA is always a celebration that draws you deeply into the light/darkness, the storytelling, comunion, music, prayer, resurrection and Alleluia! Indeed we all leave knowing "THIS is the night!" I look forward to this each year and feel cheated if we are away and have to miss it.
ReplyDeleteBUT I have been at vigils where there has been a full choir, a presider with a reasonably good voice and they played a recorded Exultet :-(
I have been at one where we baptized 3 very enthusiastic adult catechumens with a tiny drop of Chrism and 3 drops of water :-(
I have been at one where they did not shut off the lights in the church for the Easter fire, procession of paschal candle, and lighting of individual candles ("somebody might fall or get burned") :-(
I have been at many where only the "required" scripture readings were done. :-(
These poor celebrations always leave me feeling upset and sad, because once you have experienced good liturgy you are able to really know at the very core of your being what it is all about! I think the issue is not length, but quality of liturgy.
I am most grateful to the people who minister to the Catholic community of Concord MA for the excellent liturgies we celebrate not just on special feasts but every week-end!
I remember an Easter Vigil more than two decades ago which lasted for over four hours. It was so long we had to take an intermission, for which I was grateful since it gave me a chance to step outside and smoke a cigarette. Yes, it was that long ago!
ReplyDeleteBut too long? Nah. ;-)