We are used to hearing vague promises that are seldom fulfilled.

The world of politics thrives on such promises, and our consumerist culture is inundated with advertisements and sales pitches of all kinds. They promise stunning results and amazing remedies.

We are used to being underwhelmed.

Still, we place our trust in individuals, whether public figures or personal acquaintances. Deep down inside, we trust in the advertisements and the promises politicians make because we genuinely want something better or something more. 

We are used to being disappointed.

I am frequently dumbfounded when I see a pharmaceutical commercial that contains a list of disclaimers that takes longer to read than the original message itself, one that enumerates risks much worse than the ailment being addressed in the first place. This seems like something that should at least be considered as part of one’s discernment of treatment. 

Yet, the advertisers know that we can be easily caught up in the promise of “something better.” Of course, none of this is meant to disparage pharmaceuticals or politicians. Both have an important place in our society and can accomplish a great deal of good. What concerns me, however, is how quick we are to place our trust in the “next big thing” and the erosion of trust that misplaced trust causes. There’s a proliferation of unfulfilled promises made in our world.

We are used to being weary and jaded.

Holy night of Easter

We want an “answer,” but we have not thought thoroughly about the question. We want “results,” but we have not sufficiently thought about what that means besides a simple “yes this” or “not that.” 

Last month, as part of our journey along the Via Fidelis, the “faithful way,” we discussed the catechumenal process “falling in love” in a deepening relationship with God and his Church. This loving relationship does not end with the reception of the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. Rather, it finds a new beginning and continues to grow and deepen.

In fact, the Easter Vigil illustrates this clearly. If you have attended what is fully named Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter, you may have noticed that there are seven readings from the Old Testament, though you may not always hear all seven. Each reading is followed by a responsorial Psalm. If the process of the catechumenate is a process of falling in love, then what we hear in the Easter Vigil readings are the highlights of that love story.

We begin with creation, God’s creative love recounted in Genesis. We hear about Abraham and Isaac, foreshadowing that God the Father willingly gives his Son for us. We hear in Exodus about God’s saving work on behalf of his people Israel, the descendants of Abraham and Isaac. We hear God’s spousal love for his people, even amid their infidelity, from the Book of Isaiah. 

Also through Isaiah, we hear God beckon his people to return to him in an everlasting covenant and not to follow after vain and unsatisfying promises. Through Baruch, we listen to God inviting his people to walk in his wisdom against the backdrop of the great suffering of the Babylonian exile. We hear God promise a return from exile, accompanied by the gift of a new heart and a new spirit, in Ezekiel.

Salvation history

The Old Testament elements of what we call “salvation history” are illuminated for us at the Easter Vigil. They proclaim the promises God has made throughout that history, promises made to a particular people and nation. These promises are either expounded directly or as foreshadowing of what is to come in Jesus, the great promise of salvation, the kerygma that is central to our faith.

Our journey does not stop there. We also hear and discover that all these promises find their fulfillment within Christ. So, we hear St. Paul’s words to the Romans telling us that in baptism, we are united to Christ in his death and resurrection. This extended Liturgy of the Word culminates with one of the Synoptic Gospel proclamations of Christ’s resurrection.

Universal and specific love

We do a lot of “hearing” during the Easter Vigil, but what is the message that we hear? A God who has loved us from the beginning, a God who promises his unfailing love throughout the ups and downs of history and to each of us throughout the ups and downs of our lives. We also hear that God is not an abstract concept, but a loving Father involved in our lives, one present with us even in our struggles.

Yes, he is the God of the Universe, but his love is both universal and particular. We normally think of these as opposites, but for God they always go together. God loves all of his creation, every one of us and all of us. He loves you and me, particularly and specifically, in our complete uniqueness.

Our God fulfills his loving promises and often in unexpected ways. The fulfillment of the Old Testament promises in Jesus happens in an overabundant way, perhaps a way thought unimaginable before. 

This brings us back to the idea of trust and the question of where or in whom to place our trust. When we reflect on salvation history and place our stories within that history, we discover a place for our innate desire for something better and something more.

This year of Via Fidelis — the Year of Catechesis — is an opportunity for us to dig deeper into the story of salvation presented to us in Scripture. Reflecting back on the highlights of God’s great love story revealed to us at the Easter Vigil is to scratch the surface and find a starting point. 

Our starting point is a God — the fulfilling, overwhelming, encouraging, engaged and dynamic surety — in whose promises we can trust. From there, we discover the wonders in store for us from the God of the Universe.