Dcn. Phúc's Blog: Exult, let them exult. . . (Easter Vigil 2025)

I had the blessed opportunity to chant the Exsultet (Easter Proclamation) at the Easter Vigil again this year. It is the third straight year that I have had this blessing. In the first year, I prepared on my own by listening to a recording of the Exsultet on YouTube and sang along with the music sheet from the Roman Missal. Last year, my second year, I practice before our Music Director-English, Ben Batalla, and opened myself up to his guidance (you can read more about in my blog for 2023 below).

This year, taking Ben's advice following last year's Easter Vigil, I started working with Liliana Herrera, our Music Director-Spanish, back on August of 2024. Ben noticed that I had voice fatigue toward the end of the chant and suggested that I work with Liliana to help with my breathing. She and I met once a month, on the first Sunday of the month (only missing a few times for various reasons), to practicing breathing exercises, doing vocal warm ups, working on my posture, and when to breathe and when not to breathe during the 10-minute chant.

While working with Liliana, who is an amazingly talented vocalist and I am so blessed that she set aside time out of her busy schedule to work with me, I grew in two significant ways. First, I sang in front of another person (a professional vocalist) and thus opened myself up to critiques. Second, I started to record myself and listen to the recordings to self-evaluate. Both of these things I never thought I would do because I do not like to listen to my own voice on recording and opening myself up to critiques takes a lot of humility. However, Liliana was so gracious and gentle that any walls or barriers that I had were gone and I welcome her advice and suggestions. As a result, that Tuesday evening of Holy Week, I had the courage to practice in the sanctuary, with the microphone on, and, in a way, serenated the crew that was cleaning the church, along with other people who walked in and out of the church.

Moreover, whereas the previous two times, I held onto the binder with the music sheet, this time around, I had the binder on a music stand. (I did not even have the binder with me during the Lucernarium by the "roaring fire" outside. "Jesus, I trust in you" because before, I feared that I would get to the ambo and my binder would not be there.) By putting the binder on the music stand, this allowed me to be more expressive and paved the way for me to look at the people when I chanted, which was exactly what I did at the Easter Vigil.

Finally, Liliana encouraged me to feel the flow of the Exsultet with my spiritual and prayerful senses, and that was when it all came together for me. I invited the Holy Spirit to help me share this story of salvation with the people of God in a way that helps them to feel God's love for them. The Holy Spirit filled the sanctuary that evening, I could feel his loving presence in my heart, no doubt about it.

I am so grateful to Liliana for her time and effort in helping me prepare for the Exsultet. She is such a blessing to our parish. Now, if I have the blessed opportunity to change the Exsultet again next Easter Vigil, then I might attempt to memorize the lyrics. . . however, I will still have my binder with me just in case. . . Come Holy Spirit. . . Jesus, I trust in you. . .