Baptism candidate Michael Fisher, middle, prepares to enter the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe at the Easter Vigil. (JENNA TETER/The Texas Catholic)
By Father Timothy Gollob
Special to The Texas Catholic
Great memories of the glorious Easter Vigil Mass flooded into my mind as I inspected the photo on the front of the April 24 edition of The Texas Catholic.
There was the good Bishop Douglas Deshotel, flanked by his faithful deacons pouring the waters of salvation over the bowed head of a lovely catechumen. What graces were bestowed upon all who were baptized in the many churches of the diocese on that night.
But in a bit of introspection, I remembered that some of those moments might have been a bit less serene. For example, I know that multitudes of catechumens entered into the communion of saints on that night. They were chosen from all races and all sizes and all cultures of the human race. As they and their sponsors came to the font, the emotions of joy and of anxiety and of elation flooded their hearts before the holy waters poured over their heads and down their white garments even to the tips of their toes.
The Holy Spirit was working overtime to bring increased faith and hope and love to their lives. They are now the priests and the prophets and the rulers of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith. The abundance of water and of Holy Chrism is the fulfillment of Psalm 133:2. “How precious is the oil of salvation which flowed over Aaron’s head and ran to the hem of his garments!”
Later in the liturgy, the holy word, ALLELUIA, rang out again proclaiming that Jesus, who died and was buried, is now risen from the tomb. No longer do we need to look upon his image as suffering on the cross. That symbol is now a Glorious Cross, proclaiming that the Shepherd is alive and well and calling all his sheep by name.
Now this leads me to a change in my thoughts which occurred this morning as I celebrated the fourth week Easter Mass for the Missionaries of Charity in their convent.
Outside the white winged doves were calling. I was taught by Professor Warren Pulich Sr. that they were saying “Who Cooks For You?”; but as their calls reached my ears, the words of the risen Jesus were being read as he came to his disciples in the Upper Room.
“Peace be with you!” The doves sing this greeting every spring at the Easter season. Listen to them and share the message.
Father Timothy Gollob is the pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Oak Cliff.
