On Sundays, Night Prayer will focus on an element from the day's celebration of Mass. Tonight we'll look back to the Easter Vigil and the Exsultet, the hymn to the Easter Candle in the lucenarium (service of light) with which the Vigil begins. This is my arrangement of the Exsultet and it comes from two sources: The Light of Christ by Marty Haugen and from the older translation of the Exsultet from the Easter Vigil liturgy. In the lyrics following the video, the italicized verses are Haugen's and the rest, the Exsultet text.
We often pray
This is the day the Lord has made
let us rejoice and be glad in it!
But at this time of year we pray,
This is the night the Lord has made,
that night which alone was privileged to know
the time and the hour when you rose from the grave...
This is the night, Lord,
whose darkness could not overcome
your blinding brilliance,
the brightness of your glory
shining in depths
the sun can never reach...
This is the night, Lord
that dispels all evil, washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy;
casts out hatred,
brings forth peace
and humbles earthly pride...
And so I pray tonight, Lord:
shine with grace upon my heart;
cleanse my thoughts of malice;
wash away my guilt;
restore my soul to innocence;
humble my proud temperament;
bring peace where there I make chaos
and joy when my heart grieves...
Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake,
keep vigil while we sleep
that awake, I keep the watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
The Light of Christ by Marty Haugen
This
is my arrangement of the Exsultet and it comes from two sources: The
Light of Christ by Marty Haugen and an older translation of the
Exsultet from the Easter Vigil liturgy. In the lyrics following the video, the italicized verses are Haugen's and the rest, the Exsultet text.
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
All the earth is ablaze
with the glory of God,
for the light has come
to burn away the darkness.
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
Let us fill every space
with the sound of our joy,
praising Christ who is living now among us.
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
Rejoice, all you heavenly choirs of angels!
Rejoice, all creation around God's throne -
for our mighty God is victorious!
Rejoice, O earth -
you are made radiant by such splendor!
Darkness everywhere has been overcome
by the brightness of our everlasting God!
Rejoice, O Holy Mother Church -
you are made radiant by so great a light!
Let this place ring out with rejoicing,
with the song of all the people gathered here.
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
My brothers and sisters:
Christ has ransomed us with his blood
and paid for us the debt of Adam's sin,
and with his precious blood
washed away the penalty of original sin.
This is the Paschal feast
in which the true lamb is slain;
whose blood hallowed the doorposts of the faithful!
This is the night when first you saved our ancestors,
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the Red Sea!
This is the night when the pillar of fire
destroyed the darkness of sin!
This is the night which at this hour everywhere
restores to grace and unites in holiness
those who believe in Christ,
separating them from worldly vice
and the darkness of sin.
This is the night when Jesus Christ
broke the chains of death
and rose in victory from the grave!
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom us, your servants, you gave away your only Son.
O happy fault! O necessary sin of Adam
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!
O truly blessed night
which alone deserved to know the time and the hour
when Christ arose from the grave.
It is of this night that Scripture says:
"And the night shall be as bright as day,
and the night shall light up my joy!"
The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride.
This is the night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth
and creation is reconciled with God.
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
As this candle shines out
through the darkness of night,
may the love of Christ
burn ever in our hearts.
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
In the East, the Morning Star
rises bright upon us,
in its peaceful light
shines the glory of the Lord.
The light of Christ surrounds us;
the love of Christ enfolds us;
the pow'r of Christ protects us;
the presence of Christ watches over us.
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