The Collect for the Easter Vigil is:
“O God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son, have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity, grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord’s Resurrection may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life. 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.”
Reflection
Christ conquers death, plain and simple. Easter is about his resurrection, which “unlocks the path to eternity.” As long as death seemed final, most human beings were willing to do anything (especially sin) to avoid death or put it off. Christ’s victory is not just that we have life after death, but that this promise means we need not be afraid. Because Jesus shows us the path through death into eternal life, we can resist the best offer the devil has. If we refuse to sin, the worst thing that someone can do to us is kill us. Now that death is defeated, that threat is meaningless, so we are free to resist even the greatest temptations. As we celebrate this great act of overcoming death, we pray very simply that we will stay the course and rise up in life on the last day in imitation of Jesus Christ who lives now even though he was killed on the Cross 2000 years ago.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
take a moment to consider how much you fear death. Then pray for the grace to really recognize – and act like – death has no more power over us because of Christ. Ask God to help you really celebrate Easter well and to let that celebration and joy motivate you to seek greater holiness. Then spiritually unite that prayer to all the Masses throughout the world today. That way, when the priest says “Let us pray,” you can be a part of that “us” even if you don’t get to attend Mass. (thought really, it’s Easter, so there is almost not excuse!)