Tonight is the most beautiful night of our Christian life. We began in darkness… and little by little, the light entered.

This is not just a ritual. This is our story.

What is the message of the liturgy for us tonight? There are three important points:

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First, God has always been at work in our lives.

Sometimes we think that God created the world and then simply left it on its own. But no—God has never been like that.

We heard the readings—from Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and finally Jesus. It may seem long, but there is only one message: God has never abandoned His people.

Even when people sinned… God remained faithful.

Even when they were lost… God guided them.

Even when they suffered… God was there.

And that is still true for us today.

In the course of our lives, God continues to walk with us. If we are prayerful and reflective, we can truly feel His presence. The problem is that many times, we ignore Him.

Only when we have serious problems do we begin to look for God. And when things are not solved right away, we say:

“Lord, where are You? Have You abandoned me?”

But tonight, God is telling us: “I have not left you. I am here, trying to protect and sustain you.”

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Second, the Resurrection changes everything.

Take the tomb, for example. It is the darkest place and the most feared by humanity. But when the Lord entered it through His death, the tomb was filled with light and made holy. Because of Jesus, the tomb is no longer something we should fear.

Because of the Resurrection:

— darkness does not prevail

— sin does not have the final word

— suffering and death are not the end

— and the devil is not victorious

On Good Friday, it seemed that evil ruled, that the devil had won. But no—it was only for a while. Tonight, darkness is overcome by light. The Lord is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!

There is always an Easter after every Good Friday.

From time to time, we all experience our own “Good Fridays.” Some of us are facing deep problems and suffering. Some are in the hospital because of illness. Some have been betrayed by a friend or a loved one. Some are struggling financially and are burdened with debt. Some have lost their jobs or their homes. Some are dealing with mental health challenges. Others have lost someone dear to them.

We all have our own Good Fridays, and sometimes we feel helpless in our situation.

We can imagine what the disciples went through on that first Good Friday—their fear, their sorrow, and their feeling of being lost, with nowhere to go. Then came Holy Saturday, and their lives were filled with darkness. And then, they discovered that the tomb was empty.

Easter Sunday is here. The Lord is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!

The Resurrection encourages us to keep going in the midst of life’s storms. Everything will pass.

There is nothing permanent in this world—not even our problems.

If you are facing difficulties right now, remember that God is near. Pray and trust that He will not abandon you. God will make things beautiful in your life—in His time.

Remember this: the saddest day and the happiest day on earth were only three days apart.

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Finally, tonight is not only about the Risen Lord—it is also about us.

Tonight, we will renew our baptismal promises.

That means we are not just spectators—we are participants. If Christ is risen, then something in us must also rise.

What needs to rise again within us? What needs to come back to life?

Perhaps many things:

— our prayer life

— our kindness toward one another

— our good manners

— our modesty in dress

— our respect for women

— our respect for teachers, elders, parents, and superiors

— our reverence for God

— our love for creation

— our love for our country

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My dear brothers and sisters,

Tonight, we do three things:

We remember what God has done

We celebrate what Christ has won

And we commit to become who we are—a people risen with Him.

So as you go home tonight, carry this message in your heart:

The story is not over. God is still working.

And new life is possible.

Christ is risen. And because He is risen…

we too can rise again.