A Most Holy Saturday
Last week I wrote that Palm Sunday was my least favorite day of the Church year. This week I want to write about my favorite. Easter is lovely, of course, but my favorite day is actually Holy Saturday.
On Holy Saturday, we know that Jesus has died and been laid in a tomb. But there has been no resurrection yet. His battered and broken body was laid to rest. After enduring the torments of hell physically, emotionally, and psychologically, He is placed in a borrowed grave. Imagine the disciples on this day, desperate, afraid, alone. The only word that grabs onto the feeling is overwhelming grief for those who loved Him.
The world is bereft. Hope has died. The flame of life is extinguished. A paralysis of sorts consumed Jerusalem and the surrounding communities. Word is spreading of Jesus’s death. It is whispered until the wail of loss echoes across the countryside.
Holy Saturday is all those things, yet it is still my favorite day of the church year. Too often, we remain outside the tomb with the disciples and Mary when we pray. We allow ourselves to live in the hopelessness and grief of his disciples on Holy Saturday. If we pray from a different vantage point, everything changes. Try to pray from within the tomb. Leave the unrest and anxiety of the disciples and followers of Jesus outside your prayer.
Jesus is fully human and fully divine. The tomb is not necessary for the divine nature of Jesus. The divine nature of Jesus could have been raised immediately. The tomb is essential for the human nature of Jesus. Within the tomb, Jesus lies broken, battered, and beaten in every way possible. He died, not sure if it had been enough, if He had done enough. Abandoned and devastated, Jesus died. With faith in His Father, He died.
Pray inside the tomb. Jesus’ shrouded body lies on a stone slab. The tomb is dark and enclosed. It is quiet. God, the Father, gently embraces His Son, holding Him close. Much like Jesus did at the last supper, the Father has a towel around His waist, cleaning the wounds, wiping the sweat and blood from Jesus’ face. The Father holds His Son telling Him all is well. His life has been enough, more than enough. God the Father looks on His Son Jesus with love so great that it is a radiant light in the darkness of the tomb.
On Holy Saturday, the Father heals the Son’s humanity enough that He can be raised from the dead.
- In the tomb, the power of the love of God is hope.
- In the tomb, the power of the love of God heals the humanity of Jesus.
- In the tomb, the power of God’s love makes the human nature of Jesus whole.
- In the tomb, the power of God’s love embraces the humanity of Jesus and our humanity for all time.
- In the tomb, the power of the love of God enables Jesus to be raised.
- In the tomb, the human and divine nature of God is One.
- In the tomb, the power of God’s love gives Jesus resurrection and gives us salvation.
When you are broken and beaten by life retreat to the tomb of your soul. Surrender to the brokenness so you too can be healed by God. Let God minister to you as He did to Jesus. Let Him heal your brokenness. Then be raised and face the world again. Jesus has been there before us and will show us the way.
Alleluia, He is Risen, Alleluia!
In God’s Unending Love,
Gwen
