Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv DD STL, Bishop of Parramatta
Homily for the Easter Vigil 2026 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta.
The path towards new life through suffering and death
Dear friends in the risen Lord,
Tonight, with Christians around the world, we celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection. We hold the lighted candle that is a symbol of God’s victory over darkness. We sing Alleluia which is the song of praise for the wonder of the one who is the epitome of what we can be. In the risen Christ, love springs eternal, light is inextinguishable, and the divine energy brings all things to unity. With him and through him, there is directionality and purpose in the movement of history, space, time and evolution. With him and through him, we can become fully who we are destined to be; we can achieve a greater good, a greater hope, a greater vision and a better world.
The rich liturgy of the Word tonight summarizes the history of salvation and how God is intimately involved through the ebbs and flows of that history. He does not abandon us even in times of extreme testing. Most of the readings tonight bear witness to the God who constantly fashions and refashions his people through trials and tribulations. Ezekiel speaks of the cleansing of Israel during the exile. He stresses that God can do the impossible. He can use the very elements of suffering and death to weave a new web of life. Likewise, it was through the trial of giving up his only son Isaac that Abraham grew in his trust of God. We think of the religious sisters in Gaza who through their courageous decision to stay with the victims of war show us in action a model discipleship of trust, selflessness and humble service.
At the heart of the Easter message is the summons to a new future against the background of entrenched hopelessness. In the Old Testament, we see this call enacted by Abraham, Moses and the remnants of the exile. In the Gospel story tonight, we see how Mary of Magdala was emboldened to move from despair to hope. It tells us of her encounter with the Risen Lord who called out her name and sent her out on a mission of proclaiming to others the Good News of the resurrection. An unlikely instrument because of her gender, nevertheless, she became a witness to Easter hope.
With Mary and the disciples, we too are emboldened to move from the shadows of crucifixion into the light of the resurrection. We too are empowered to go to Galilee, in order to continue Jesus’ mission of justice, mercy and compassion. Easter empowers us to be witnesses of the Gospel, pilgrims of hope and partners with the living God in the transformation of the world he so loves. With the risen Lord, we are to restore relationships, repair injustices, give equity to the underclass and reimagine community in alignment with God’s vision of solidarity and harmony.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Tonight, we rejoice to welcome new members into the Catholic family, here and across our diocese. The unprecedented number of these new Catholics is a source of encouragement for us. We are, however, under no illusions about our challenges in a post-Christian culture. Our call is not to batten down the hatches and circle the wagons, meaning to fight the world with a siege mentality. Rather it is in following and imitating a humble, poor and vulnerable Servant-Lord, we can be a source of hope and renewal for the world. It is by choosing the path to life through suffering that we can channel divine energy for social transformation.
Today, more than ever, we as the community of disciples must not stay put in a cocoon of familiarity, security and comfort. We must respond with courage to the Lord’s urging to minister with him in the thresholds and crossroads where people long for justice, dignity, peace and human flourishing. Going before the risen Christ to Galilee can only mean to venture to the new frontiers of solidarity, to create social bonds and foster common purpose, thus becoming the leaven of the Gospel.
With the joy and confidence of Easter, let us bear witness to the Kingdom vision of Jesus in the Galilee where the modern seekers of meaning, truth and faith traverse. Let us model a different way of being together – a society that is grounded in justice, animated by mercy, and sustained by hope. Let us be truly Easter men and women bringing to life the Good News of Christ. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
