Apr
16

Easter Vigil

Exsultet

Psalm text (Exsultet)

Exsultet

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,
exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
let the trumpet of salvation
sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!

Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,
ablaze with light from her eternal King,
let all corners of the earth be glad,
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.

Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice,
arrayed with the lightning of his glory,
let this holy building shake with joy,
filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.

(Therefore, dearest friends,
standing in the awesome glory of this holy light,
invoke with me, I ask you,
the mercy of God almighty,
that he, who has been pleased to number me,
though unworthy, among the Levites,
may pour into me his light unshadowed,
that I may sing this candle's perfect praises.)

(V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.)
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up to the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, with ardent love of mind and heart
and with devoted service of our voice,
to acclaim our God invisible, the almighty Father,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord, his Son, his Only Begotten.

Who for our sake paid Adam's debt to the eternal Father,
and, pouring out his own dear Blood,
wiped clean the record of our ancient sinfulness.

These, then, are the feasts of Passover,
in which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb,
whose Blood anoints the doorposts of believers.

This is the night,
when once you led our forebears, Israel's children,
from slavery in Egypt
and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea.

This is the night
that with a pillar of fire
banished the darkness of sin.

This is the night
that even now, throughout the world,
sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices
and from the gloom of sin,
leading them to grace
and joining them to his holy ones.

This is the night,
when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.

Our birth would have been no gain,
had we not been redeemed.

O wonder of your humble care for us!
O love, O charity beyond all telling,
to ransom a slave you gave away your Son!
O truly necessary sin of Adam,
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!
O happy fault
that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!

O truly blessed night,
worthy alone to know the time and hour
when Christ rose from the underworld!

This is the night
of which it is written:
The night shall be as bright as day,
dazzling is the night for me,
and full of gladness.
The sanctifying power of this night
dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners,
drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.
On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants’ hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.

But now we know the praises of this pillar,
which glowing fire ignites for God's honor,
a fire into many flames divided,
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,
for it is fed by melting wax,
drawn out by mother bees
to build a torch so precious.

O truly blessed night,
when things of heaven are wed to those of earth,
and divine to the human.

Therefore, O Lord,
we pray you that this candle,
hallowed to the honor of your name,
may persevere undimmed,
to overcome the darkness of this night.

Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,
and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.

May this flame be found still burning
by the Morning Star:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christ your Son,
who, coming back from death's domain,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
and lives and reigns for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

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After Reading 1 (option 1)

Psalm text (Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10+12, 13-14, 24+35)

Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord, my God, You are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.

You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
with the ocean, as with a grament, You covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.

You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.

You water the mountains from Your palace;
the earth is replete with the fruit of Your works.
You raise grass for the cattle, and vegetation for man's use,
producing bread from the earth.

How manifold are Your works, O Lord!
In wisdom You have wrought them all--
the earth is full of Your creatures.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

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After Reading 1 (option 2)

Psalm text (Ps 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20-22)

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Upright is the word of the Lord,
and all His works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made;
by the breath of His mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask,
in cellars he confines the deep.

Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.
From heaven the Lord looks down;
He sees all mankind.

Our soul waits for the Lord,
who is our help and our shield.
May Your kindness, O Lord, be upon us
who have put our hope in You.

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After Reading 2

Psalm text (Ps 16:5+8, 9-10, 11)

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.

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.

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

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After Reading 3

Psalm text (Exod 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18)

Let us sing to the Lord; He has covered Himself in glory.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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After Reading 4

Psalm text (Ps 30:2+4, 5-6, 11-12a+13b)

I will praise You, Lord, for You have rescued me.

I will extol You, O Lord, for You drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, You brought me up from the netherworld;
You preseved me from among those going down into the pit.

Sing praise to the Lord, you His faithful ones,
and give thanks to His holy name.
For His anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, His good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.

Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me;
O Lord, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O Lord, my God, forever will I give You thanks.

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After Reading 5

Psalm text (Isa 12:2-3, 4, 5-6)

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

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

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

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!

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After Reading 6

Psalm text (Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11)

Lord, You have the words of everlasting life.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
refeshing the soul;
the decree of the Lord is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eye.

The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true,
all of them just.

They are more precious they god,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.

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After Reading 7 (with Baptisms)

Psalm text (Ps 42:3, 5 43:3, 4)

Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for You, my God.

Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God,
amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping fertival.

Send forth Your light and Your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
and bring me to Your holy mountain,
to Your dwelling place.

Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
then will I give You thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!

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After Reading 7 (with no Baptisms, Option 1)

Psalm text (Isa 12:2-3, 4, 5-6)

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

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

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

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!

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After Reading 7 (with no Baptisms, option 2)

Psalm text (Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19)

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from Your presence,
and Your Holy Spirit take not from me.

Give me back the joy of Your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors Your ways,
and sinners shall return to You.

For You are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a holocaust, You would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, You will not spurn.

After Epistle

Psalm text (Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23)

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.”

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.

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

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The English translation of the Psalm Response(s) and Gospel verse(s) from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.