As you can imagine, I have been thinking about my responsibilities during Holy Week these last few days. As I went down my list of things to do, I was reminded that Holy Saturday is a day that often goes unnoticed amid Easter weekends. It is a day usually overshadowed by Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Yet, it is a day that should hold deep meaning and significance in our faith. It is the day between death and resurrection, a liminal space that challenges us to stay in discomfort and restlessness. It takes great courage to sit in this in-between space and not rush to the joy of Easter Sunday.
I challenge you to wrestle with the loneliness of Holy Saturday. This day marks the death of Jesus, the Son of God, and the grief his family and friends must have felt. As we journey through Holy Week, will you stand at the foot of the cross, stay awake with Jesus in the garden, and sit in the tomb with his loved ones? Can you imagine the numbness and confusion they must have felt? This liminal space between death and resurrection reminds us of the seasons of death and waiting we may experience in our lives.
Last year, my father passed away around this time, and I remember feeling numb on the day after his death. It was a palpable silence, a stillness that couldn’t be broken. I can’t help but think about what Jesus’ family and friends felt on that Holy Saturday. As the women prepared the burial cloth and spices, could they find any solace in the psalmist’s words to “be still and know that I am God”? We, too, may be facing a season of silence and numbness, whether in relationships, health, job needs, or caring for loved ones. It may feel like parts of our lives have died, and we are waiting for a resurrection.
As we journey through Holy Week, let us intentionally allow God to enter the tomb of our hearts. His love is real, intense, and can stir our numbness. May we be still enough to receive this love and find hope, knowing that joy will soon come in the morning. Let us not rush to Sunday but instead sit in the stillness of Saturday and wait for God to make a distinct move. Can we trust and wait in faith, knowing God is at work even in the silence?
Rev