Holy Saturday the day Christ's body rested in the tomb before His resurrection. Holy Saturday was also the Sabbath, the day made for our benefit, to rest and wait.
In the context of the death of Jesus, this sabbath day was, for many, just another ordinary sabbath, rest day. For most, life continued as usual. I wonder what was happening among the disciples. I’m guessing much sadness, confusion, fear maybe, a sense of hopelessness, let down, loss of where to go next. A place of waiting. Questioning about was Jesus really who he said he was, disappointment that it all came to nothing.
The loss of someone, is never an easy place to find yourself in. While you are mourning grieving hurting deeply saddened, the world continues each day as usual. In my experience you feel like your world has stopped, so many questions, of why and what next! It is almost unreal. This can’t be the end surely. Death seems so final, no coming back, and a deep sense of emptiness leaves the mourners in a place of unknown.
We obviously live in a post resurrection time, and we know the end game of this part of the story, that the day between the death and resurrection of Jesus, is no more than a short waiting moment before the greatest day in history. Holy Saturday is a great day to wait and rest in the Lord. The disciples could do nothing else but wait and rest from everything that had happened. In our darkest moment, the best place to wait and rest is in God’s word and presence. He meets us, greets us and comforts us in ways this world and others are unable to do. The scripture that comes to mind is in Lamentations 3:1-24. into darkness without any light, against me alone he turns his hand, again and again, all day long I will wait for Him. God reaches out His hand to hold us through life’s most deeply darkest times and leads us towards the risen light that will come as we journey through the darkest tunnel of our lives.
A time is coming when this broken cruel dark world will be consumed by the new heaven, the new earth and we will all rise with a new body in His Kingdom. Christ died, Christ rose, Christ will come again! Amen!
There is always hope in Christ. There is always light shining into our lives. Darkness cannot overcome it.
Prayer: Help me, dear Lord, to enter the sorrow and the silence of this Holy Saturday. Today no Sacraments are celebrated. Today the world waits in mourning in anticipation of the glory of new life! As I keep vigil, awaiting the celebration of Your Resurrection, fill me with hope.