
"The Vigil" (Sir Gawine of the round Table keeping Vigil) by John Pettie (1884)
Jesus has suffered and died on a Roman Cross, he has been laid in a tomb. Today we pray and mediate, in past centuries this was one of the most important days of the Christian liturgical year. It remains the most important Vigil of the year.
The Dictionary has two definitions for the word Vigil:-
The intention is prayerful preparation for the coming important Religious Holiday. Vigils are only kept for major religious holidays and the resurrection of Christ is the most important of all. How many people have come back from the dead - to never die again?
It is a good thing, to reassess yourself spiritually on a regular basis and see where you stand in your walk with God. The vigils in preparation for Easter Sunday are a good time to do this, whether spending a little extra time with the Father at the end of the day, or focusing on a full Vigil for the day or even just saying the special Vigil prayers, in fact it should be a joy to us who love God. Today we follow the Vigil prayers, collects and readings throughout the day. We remember from yesterday the great price that Jesus paid for us, and that on this day he was defeating Satan and death on our behalf.