Easter Proclamation: Exsultet Top Pick

Rejoice, now, all heavenly hosts!  
Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult all creation around God's throne!
Celebrate the divine mysteries with exultation;
and for so great a victory,
sound the trumpet of salvation.

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered!  Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes forever.

Rejoice, now O holy church!
Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy,
echoing the mighty song of all God's people.

The Lord be with you,
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is truly right that with full devotion of heart and mind and voice we should praise the inivisible God,
The almighty Father, and the only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord;
who paid for us the debt of Adam's sin,
and who, by his precious blood, redeeemed us from bondage to the ancient sin.
For this indeed is the Paschal Feast in which the true Lamb is slain,
by whose blood the doorposts of the faithful are made holy.

This is the night in which, in ancient times, you delivered our forebears, the children of Israel,
and let them dry-shod, through the Sea.
This is the night in which the darkness of sin has been purged away by the rising brightness.
This is the night in which all who believe in Christ are rescued from evil and the gloom of sin,
are renewed in grace, and are restored to holiness.
This is the night in which, breaking the chains of death, Christ arises from hell in triumph.
O night truly blessed which allone was worthy to know the time and hour
in which Christ arose again from hell!
This is the night of which it is written:
"The Night is as clear as the day;"
and, "then shall my night be turned into day."

The holiness of this night puts to flight the deeds of wickedness;
washes away sin;
restores innocence to the fallen,
and joy to those who mourn;
casts out hate;
brings peace;
and humbles earthly pride.

Therefore, in this night of grace, receive, O God, this evening sacrifice of praise.
which the church places before you in the solemn offering of this candle.
This is the night in which heaven and earth are joined
things human and things divine.

We, therefore, pray to you, O God, that this candle, burning to the honor of your name,
will continue to vanquish the darkness of night
and be mingled with the lights of heaven.
May Christ the Morning Star find it burning
that Morning Star who never sets,
that Morning Star who, rising from the grave, faithfully sheds light on the whole human race.
And we pray, O God, rule, govern and preserve with your continual protection your whole church,
giving us peace in this time of our paschal rejoicing;
through the same Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.