Bishop Nickless celebrates Easter vigil

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 27, 2008

Standing in the main aisle near the entrance of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, Bishop R. Walker Nickless outstretched his hands over the flame as he offered a prayer to bless the fire.

"Father, we share in the light of your glory through your son, the light of the world. Make this new fire holy and inflame us with new hope," he prayed. "Purify our minds by this Easter celebration and bring us one day to the feast of eternal light."

Lighting the Easter candle, Bishop Nickless asked that the light of Christ dispel the darkness "of our hearts and minds." The flame originating from the Easter candle was used to light the candles of parishioners in the pews. Flames gently flickered in the darkened church as the large candle was carried by Father Matthew Hewitt to a place of prominence at the front of the church.

The blessing of the fire and lighting of the Easter candle is held in Catholic churches around the world at the Easter vigil, which the bishop referred to in his homily as a feast for the senses.

Bishop Nickless presided at the trilingual celebration at the Cathedral. The liturgy was concelebrated by Father Hewitt, Father Hieu Nguyen, Father Brad Pelzel and Father Ray Wieling.

In his homily, Bishop Nickless said they celebrated the most important event of the entire year. He told them that God's grace and love could touch their hearts and minds to make a difference in their lives.

"The vigil we celebrate tonight is a feast for our senses," said the bishop. "As we began, we saw the light of Christ, signified by the candle, the fire we burned."

He told them that the light of Christ came to shepherd them through the darkness of this world.

The feast for the senses continued as they heard the Easter Proclamation sung by Father Hewitt, prior to the start of the Liturgy of the Word.

"We heard seven readings from Scripture, talking about our salvation and the goodness of the Lord," he said.

They smelled the incense, the bishop noted, which rises to heaven in Thanksgiving to God for all that he has done.

"Soon we will feel the blessing of the water that reminds us of our baptism and the life we share in the death and resurrection of our Lord," said Bishop Nickless. "Then, of course, we will taste the Body and Blood of our Lord. The bread and wine will truly become our nourishment for our journey to heaven."

The Easter vigil reminds the faithful that they are people of hope.

"Christ is risen. Christ exalted the world through our witness to new life," he said. "If we have had a good Lent these last 40 days, we know that the Lord is doing something new in our lives."

The people themselves become signs of the newness of the resurrection because during Lent they have faced their sins, admitted guilt and accepted dependence on God's help. During this time, parishioners have prayed, fasted, helped those in need and have emptied themselves in order to create a space for God.

"Today we celebrate the greatest event since the creation of the universe," said Bishop Nickless. "Yet for many people this event of the resurrection is not believable. It is impossible to rise from the dead - at least many people think that is so."

Parishioners gathered at the vigil out of faith in the belief that Jesus has risen. He said all are called to share the message of Easter and Christ's resurrection.

The bishop said that Christ was alive and present in the world because he "lives in each one of us. Every time we share in the Eucharist we are called to rise to new life, to share in the miracle of Jesus' resurrection."

Even in the world today with its trials and tribulations, hope remains - hope of new life, forgiveness, peace and love.

God's love triumphs over sin and death, said Bishop Nickless.

"We do not walk alone. One greater than ourselves is walking with us." He added, "As witnesses chosen by God, who eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead, let us go forth and tell our story - the story of hope, the story of love. Jesus Christ is risen today - indeed he has - and what a difference it makes for the whole world."

After the homily and prior to the Eucharistic Prayer, the bishop prayed over the water and blessed it by dipping the Easter candle in the font three times. Bishop Nickless then led the people in a renewal of baptismal promises and later sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

As the liturgy drew to a close, the bishop wished the people a Blessed Easter.

While there were no baptisms or confirmations at the Cathedral during the Easter vigil, in other parishes of the diocese 23 people were baptized into the faith and 96 were fully initiated into the Catholic Church.