It was dark when he awoke. This is not where I went to sleep. I don’t think, the little boy thought, looking around. He was laying on something hard, and there was a coat under his head, and another over his legs. A spicy smell filled his nose. He knew what it was, but he didn’t know why. Where was he? Strange singing filled his ears. People were standing over him, but they weren’t looking at him. They were looking at something he couldn’t see. He sat up, and looked to see what they were seeing. Through the darkness, there was a light. It was a cauldron, with flames leaping towards the ceiling, casting strange shadows on the wall. Standing over the cauldron was a big man in strange clothes. He was waving something over flames, chanting. Other, smaller figures surrounded him. Huh, the little boy thought. He watched for a moment, leaning against the wood back of the bed he had somehow found himself in. He blinked a few times, yawned, and lay back down on his makeshift pillow. Must be dreaming, he said to himself, falling back asleep. He rolled over, not noticing a quick movement beside him, keeping him from slipping off the pew.
The young mother looks down at her three-year-old. How would this first Easter Vigil be remembered? She smiles, wondering what thoughts were drifting through his little mind, and wondering what dreams the strangeness of those few minutes would bring. Standing to hold the boy on the pew, she turns her mind back to the priest, and the beautiful, ancient ceremonies she was blessed to witness.
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This year was the first in three or four years that I was able to attend the vigil AND I wasn't in the choir. It was great! I could see what was going on, and follow along without having to worry about the next song or response. It also helped that my missal had both the Latin and the English for all of the readings, but I digress.
I love each of the services of the Triduum, and I love the way each builds on the last. Holy Thursday begins everything now, as it did then. It is a service both joyous and serious. In the beginning, we have the bells and the organ and the Gloria. In the end, the alters are stripped and Christ is in the garden, preparing for the sacrifice of the next day. Did you know that the Mass on Holy Thursday does not officially end? There is no dismissal. Good Friday, there is no Consecration, as it is the continuation of Mass on Holy Thursday, just as Christ's offering of His Body and Blood in the form of the bread and wine of the Passover on Holy Thursday was the same as His sacrifice on the cross on Good Friday.
The service on Good Friday is not technically a Mass, as there is no consecration. That said, I've always loved the solemness of the Mass of the Presanctified, as it is called (for the record, the "presanctified" refers to the reserved Hosts, not to the state of the people's souls.) The Tabernacle is empty, and the whole church feels empty. It is a reminder to us of the emptiness of the world after Christ's death. The organ and bells are silent, the alter is still stripped, and the choir is somber. Even the candles and holy water are gone.
Holy Saturday, there is no Mass until the vigil. The church stands empty. Then, after sundown, is the vigil. It begins with the blessing of the Easter fire. I love the way the light spreads through the church as the candles are lit from person to person, the flame growing and spreading without diminishing, like our faith. I admit, it makes me nervous watching the little kids with candles! Especially remembering how I nearly set myself on fire a few years ago! But that's another story....
After the blessing of the fire, there is the blessing of the holy water. Here again, we see the rich significance of everything, from creation to now, and how it ties together. The prayers talk about how in the time of Noah, the water purified the earth, and it talks about the water from Christ's side purifying our souls. There are so many things we take for granted, yet they have so much meaning! 
Happy Easter!
is a sweet story about a young boy witnessing the events leading up to the Resurrection. We follow Benjamin as he sees Jesus come into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, as he helps prepare the upper room for the Passover, as he sees Christ carry his cross, and finally as he sees the stone that was rolled from the tomb, as well as many steps along the way. As the story progresses, he collects things from each event and puts him in the box his grandfather gave him. This is a great story to read to children during Holy Week, because they see the events from the perspective of a child like themselves. You can buy the 
to go with this book and there are Easter eggs with each of the items Benjamin collected. Or, you can turn it into a scavenger hunt and create your own treasure box with items collected around the house.
, I admit, does not say anything about the true meaning of Easter. It is about the Easter Bunny, or rather many Easter Bunnies. Still, it is one of my favorite stories from my childhood. It is also an excellent reminder that you can't judge a book by it's cover. The cover of this sweet tale suggests that it is a "modern feminist tale." I disagree. I think it is a very traditional look at motherhood. The country bunny always dreamed of being one of the official Easter Bunnies, running around the world delivering baskets of eggs to children. However, she found herself mother of no less than twenty-one children. When they were very young, she undoubtably spent much time running after them, but as they got older, she trained her children well, until they were able to keep house as well as she could. So now she has time to go be an Easter bunny once a year. What's more, her children have kept her young and strong trying to keep up with the all, so she is able to compete with the much bigger bunnies for the job of Easter bunny. I thing this story highlights the importance of diligence, kindness, perseverance, industry, and knowing that there is a time for everything. And the illustrations are adorable!
was written by a Catholic Priest, and tells the story of a little bunny who was the first to witness the Resurrection. I admit, I don't know for sure if I have read this book, but I do recall the story, and I think that by explaining the Easter Bunny to children this way, they are able to make the connection between the colored eggs, the baskets of candy, and the bunny and the Easter Story. For those who find the Easter bunny a fondly remembered part of childhood, or who have family who insist on sharing the story with your children, this is a great story.
. It's the story
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