SMC ENGLISH MASS - Easter Vigil Year C (19 Apr 2025)

SMC English Mass -

Easter Vigil Year C (19 Apr 2025)

The Blessing of the Fire and Preparation of the Candle 

Dear brethren (brothers and sisters), 

on this most sacred night, in which our Lord Jesus Christ passed over from death to life, the Church calls upon her sons and daughters, scattered throughout the world, to come together to watch and pray. 

If we keep the memorial of the Lord’s paschal solemnity in this way, listening to his word and celebrating his mysteries, then we shall have the sure hope of sharing his triumph over death and living with him in God. 

Let us pray. 

O God, who through your Son 

bestowed upon the faithful the fire of your glory, 

sanctify ✠ this new fire, we pray, and grant that, by these paschal celebrations, we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with minds made pure we may attain festivities of unending splendor. Through Christ our Lord. 

All. Amen.

Light of Christ Vigil Pascal Candle Opening Procession chant

P✠: The Light of Christ

All : Thanks be to God

P✠: The Light of Christ

All : Thanks be to God

P✠: The Light of Christ

All : Thanks be to God

Easter Proclamation

V✠: Exult…. 

…… 

V✠: The Lord be with you

All : And with your spirit 

V✠: Lift up your hearts

All : We lift them up to the Lord 

V✠: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

All : It is right and just

V✠: It is truly….. 

…… 

All : Amen

Instruction before the Word of God by Priest

Dear brethren (brothers and sisters), 

now that we have begun our solemn Vigil, let us listen with quiet hearts to the Word of God. 

Let us meditate on how God in times past saved his people and in these, the last days, has sent us his Son as our Redeemer.

HiLet us pray that our God may complete this paschal work of salvation by the fullness of redemption.

1st Reading – Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” 

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Lord’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the Lord’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.” — The Word of the Lord. 

All: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm –  Psalm 16:5,8, 9-10, 11

R: You are my inheritance, O Lord.

O Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. 

R: You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. 

R: You are my inheritance, O Lord.

 

You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, and delights at your right hand forever. 

R: You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Prayer 

Let us pray. (pause) 

O God, supreme Father of the faithful, who increase the children of your promise by pouring out the grace of adoption throughout the whole world and who through the Paschal Mystery make your servant Abraham father of nations,

as once you swore, 

grant, we pray,

that your peoples may enter worthily into the grace to which you call them.

Through Christ our Lord. 

All: Amen.

2nd Reading – Exodus 14:15-15:1

The LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea, split the sea in two, that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land. But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate that they will go in after them. Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots and charioteers. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I receive glory through Pharaoh and his chariots and charioteers.” 

The angel of God, who had been leading Israel’s camp, now moved and went around behind them. The column of cloud also, leaving the front, took up its place behind them, so that it came between the camp of the Egyptians and that of Israel. But the cloud now became dark, and thus the night passed without the rival camps coming any closer together all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.

The Egyptians followed in pursuit; all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them right into the midst of the sea. In the night watch just before dawn the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic; and he so clogged their chariot wheels that they could hardly drive. With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel, because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians. 

Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their charioteers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth. The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea, when the LORD hurled them into its midst. As the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army which had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not a single one of them escaped. But the Israelites had marched on dry land through the midst of the sea, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians. When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore and beheld the great power that the LORD had shown against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses. 

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. — The Word of the Lord. 

All: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm – Exodus 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18

🎼 I will sing to the Lord, glorious His triumph. 

I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior. He is my God, I praise him; the God of my father, I extol him.

🎼 I will sing to the Lord, glorious His triumph. 

The LORD is a warrior, LORD is his name! Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea; the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea.

🎼 I will sing to the Lord, glorious His triumph. 

The flood waters covered them, they sank into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O LORD, magnificent in power, your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.

🎼 I will sing to the Lord, glorious His triumph. 

You brought in the people you redeemed and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance – the place where you made your seat, O Lord, the sanctuary, LORD, which your hands established. The LORD shall reign forever and ever.

🎼 I will sing to the Lord, glorious His triumph.

Prayer 

Let us pray. (pause) 

O God, whose ancient wonders remain undimmed in splendor even in our day, for what you once bestowed on a single people, freeing them from Pharaoh’s persecution by the power of your right hand, now you bring about as the salvation of the nations through the waters of rebirth, grant, we pray, that the whole world may become children of Abraham and inherit the dignity of Israel’s birthright. Through Christ our Lord. 

All: Amen.

Or 

Let us pray. (pause) 

O God, who by the light of the New Testament have unlocked the meaning of wonders worked in former times, so that the Red Sea prefigures the sacred font and the nation delivered from slavery foreshadows the Christian people, grant, we pray, that all nations, obtaining the privilege of Israel by merit of faith, may be reborn by partaking of your Spirit. Through Christ our Lord. 

All: Amen

3rd Reading – Isaiah 55:1-11

Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, so shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you. 

Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. 

For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. – The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm – Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6

🎼 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 

God indeed is my ; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my . With you will draw water at the fountain of salvation.

🎼 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

🎼 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth. Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!

🎼 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 

Prayer 

Let us pray. (pause) 

Almighty ever-living God,

sole hope of the world, who by the preaching of your Prophets unveiled the mysteries of this present age, graciously increase the longing of your people, for only at the prompting of your grace do the faithful progress in any kind of virtue. 

Through Christ our Lord.  

All: Amen.

Gloria

Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace on earth, peace to people of good will. (Amen) 

We praise You. We bless You. We adore you. We glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great glory.  Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. 

For you alone are the Holy One. You alone are the Lord. You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. 

Collect 

Let us pray. (pause) 

O God, who make this most sacred night radiant with the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, stir up in your Church a spirit of adoption, so that, renewed in body and mind, we may render you undivided service. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

one God, for ever and ever. 

All: Amen

Epistle – Romans 6:3-11 

Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. 

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. – The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

Solemn Alleluia and Psalm – 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

P✠ : Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

🎼 Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.”

🎼 Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The right hand of the LORD has struck with power; the right hand of the LORD is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

🎼 Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

🎼Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel – Luke 24:1-12 

At daybreak on the first day of the week the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments 148 Holy Week appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened. —The Gospel of the Lord. 

All: 🎼Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Litany of the Saint

The Blessing of water and renewal of Baptismal Promises

Spirit Song  #287 p. 94

1. O let the Son of God enfold you, with His spirit and His love
Let Him fill your heart and satisfy your soul
O let Him have the things that hold you, and His spirit, like a dove
Will descend upon your life and make you whole

* Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs

2. O come and sing this song with gladness, as your hearts are filled with joy
Lift your hands in sweet surrender to His name
O give Him all your tears and sadness, give Him all your years of pain
And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name

–  repeat *

Sprinkling with Holy Water 

Water of Life #323 p.106

* Water of life
Cleanse and refresh us
Raise us to life in Christ Jesus

1. All you who thirst
Come to the waters
And you will never be thirsty again

2. As rain from heav'n
So is God's word
It waters the earth and brings forth life

3. Dying with Christ
So we shall rise with Him
Death shall no longer have pow'r over us

4. Turn to the Lord
Cast off your wickedness
You will find peace in His infinite love

OFFERTORY HYMN

By your stripes #041 P.14

By Your stripes, Lord, I'm healed, hallelujah
In Your word it is revealed, hallelujah
Yes, You bore it all for me on the cross of Calvary
So that now I can go free, hallelujah 

P✠: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church. 

Prayer Over The Offerings

Accept, we ask, O Lord,

the prayers of your people with the sacrificial offerings, that what has begun in the paschal mysteries may, by the working of your power, bring us to the healing of eternity. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

All: Amen.

P✠: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

P✠: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

P✠: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: It is right and just.

P✠: It is truly right and just,.... , as with one voice we acclaim:

Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. 

Heaven and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. 

P✠: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the…. 

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,

FOR THIS IS MY BODY,

WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.

P✠: In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,

FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,

THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY

FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

P✠: The mystery of faith.

All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

P✠: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,..... 

P✠: Through him, and with him, and in him,

O God, almighty Father,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

P✠: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:

All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

P✠: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.

P✠: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

P✠: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

All: And with your spirit.

P✠: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

Agnus Dei

All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

P✠: Lord Jesus Christ,.... 

P✠: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

COMMUNION HYMN

Be still for the presence of the Lord 

Be still for the presence of the Lord

The Holy one is here

Come bow before him now

In reverence and fear

In Him no sin is found

We stand on Holy ground

Be still for the presence of the Lord

The Holy one is here.

Be still for the glory of the Lord

Is shinning all around

He burns with Holy fire

With splendor He is crowned

How awesome is the sight

Our radiant King of light

Be still for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around.

Be still for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place

He comes to cleanse and heal

To minister His grace

No work too hard for Him

In faith receive from Him

Be still for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place.

All the ends of the earth #012 P.4

* All the ends of the earth, all you creatures of the sea
Lift up your eyes to the wonders of the Lord
For the Lord of the earth, the Master of the sea
Has come with justice for the world 

1. Break into song at the deeds of the Lord
The wonders He has done in ev'ry age 

2. Heaven and earth shall rejoice in His might
Ev'ry heart, ev'ry nation call Him (You) Lord 

3. The Lord has made His salvation known. Faithful to His promises of old
Let the ends of the earth, let the sea and all it holds. Make music before our King

Prayer After Communion

P✠: Let us pray (pause)

Pour out on us, O Lord, the Spirit of your love, 

and in your kindness make those you have nourished 

by this paschal Sacrament 

one in mind and heart. 

Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

P✠: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Solemn Blessing 

P✠: Bow down for the blessing.

(The Priest, with hands extended over the people, says the blessing.)

P✠: May almighty God bless you 

through today’s Easter Solemnity 

and, in his compassion,

defend you from every assault of sin.

All: Amen.

P✠: And may he, who restores you to eternal life in the Resurrection of his Only Begotten, 

endow you with the prize of immortality.

All: Amen.

P✠: Now that the days of the Lord’s Passion have drawn to a close,

may you who celebrate the gladness of the Paschal Feast come with Christ’s help, and exulting in spirit,

to those feasts that are celebrated in eternal joy.

All: Amen.

P✠: And may the blessing of almighty God, 

the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit, 

come down on you and remain with you for ever.

All: Amen.

P✠: Go in peace, the Mass is ended, alleluia, alleluia.

All: Thanks be to God. alleluia, alleluia.

RECESSIONAL HYMN

Shine Jesus Shine #267 P.87

1. Lord, the light of Your love is shining in the midst of the darkness, shining
Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us
Set us free by the truth You now bring us
Shine on me, shine on me

* Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father's glory
Blaze, spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth Your word, Lord, and let there be light

2. Lord, I come to Your awesome presence from the shadows into Your radiance
By the blood I may enter Your brightness
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness
Shine on me, shine on me

3. As we gaze on Your kingly brightness so our faces display Your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story
Shine on me, shine on me.