An article from the Cathedral Times
by the Very Reverend Sam G. Candler
Were you converted on Easter Sunday?
I was.
I saw it all happening throughout Lent. People preparing and praying. People flocking to hear Luke Johnson on Wednesday nights. People planning classes and flower arrangements. People rehearsing music and laying out liturgies.
We played our parts on Palm Sunday, yelling "Hosanna" in the hallway and then yelling "Crucify him" in the Cathedral. We watched Jesus walk the way of the Cross, and we followed him. We washed feet on Maundy Thursday, ate realistic-tasting bread and then watched the altar being stripped and washed for Good Friday. We heard preaching on Good Friday and venerated the Cross.
Then, on Holy Saturday, we worked feverishly. Flowers were cut and placed. Boy Scouts cut wood and laid a huge fire. Musicians fine tuned familiar pieces and perfected new ones. Finally, the dogwoods began to bloom.
All the incredible work came to fruition on Easter Sunday. The 6 a.m. Easter Vigil Fire hit a new height! The warm Cathedral welcomed the Paschal Candle and Exultet. We baptized new Christians and heard a sermon about 3-D Christianity. We did it all day. We sang and prayed. We smiled and laughed.
I was converted.
It was a few years ago that we first started renewing our baptism vows"”and baptizing new Christians"”every Easter Sunday. Some people grumbled that it was too much confusion on that glorious day. I remember making the case that we definitely ought to renew baptismal vows because many people would have not been to church all year; they needed to be reminded of their baptisms!
But now I make the same case for any of us who regularly attend church. We need to be converted, too, no matter how many times we have already been converted. This is what Easter is all about"”learning again how life comes out of death.
Thanks to all of you who played a part"”who played God's part"”in making the Cathedral a place of conversion on Easter. I was converted again on Easter!
Let's do it again next Sunday. , and the next Sunday , and the next.