Allow the light of Christ, bishop says at Easter vigil

Intermountain Catholic

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Bishop John C. Wester baptizes Cathedral parishioner Danielle Smithers during the Easter vigil at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. See more photos on the Intermountain Catholic Facebook page. IC photos/Marie Mischel

SALT LAKE CITY —The Diocese of Salt Lake City welcomed more than 300 new members statewide at the Easter Vigil on April 19.

"It’s impossible to tell you how much you mean to us and what a great joy it is for us to welcome you with open arms tonight," said Bishop John C. Wester during his homily at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.

Like the women disciples who first encountered Jesus’ empty tomb, "we … must look and come to believe," the bishop said. "We are called on a very personal and deep level to believe that Jesus is risen from the dead."

Although each individual has his or her own call to the faith, "we do not do this alone. We are together," Bishop Wester said. "We come to pray deeply that what we celebrate tonight will have an effect on our lives; that it’s not just something that we somehow take notice of and then go to our homes and continue our lives, but that the Resurrection rings true in our decisions, in our relationships, in the way that we look at life."

One of the best ways Christians can tell if the Resurrection is having an effect on their lives "is if we’re people of joy – that ‘alleluia’ is truly our refrain," Bishop Wester said. "It’s very important that we allow this joy to have expression in our lives because that is the most significant way that we can be the new evangelizers. People will be attracted to the Gospel message because of our joy in the Resurrection."

Tragedies and stress are a part of life, Bishop Wester acknowledged, "but even then the Resurrection rings true – Jesus is bringing us to new life and calling us to be an Easter people filled with holy joy. … My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, tonight is a time of great joy, of unspeakable joy, unending joy. Allow the light of Christ to fill us deeply so that we might give witness to the joy of the Gospel in our lives."