Holy Saturday

Matthew 27: 57 – 66

Holy Saturday is intended to be a “dark” day.  Jesus is dead and in the tomb.  The Chief Priests and Pharisees who had engineered His death made sure the tomb was sealed and guarded.  The Apostles were scattered, Peter was tasting every word of his denial, and Judas was dead.  Temple Leaders – 1, Jesus’s followers – 0.

Out of 366 days this Leap Year, Holy Saturday is the only day the Altar in Christian churches makes no provision for eucharist, has no liturgy of celebration, does not gather for shared worship.  We wait.  We wait quietly and fearfully.

We remember that we are an Easter people.  We remember our assurance that Easter will dawn, and that Jesus will walk out of the tomb and back into the world.  We are redeemed by Jesus’s resurrection and defeat of evil and death. Many years of experience with Jesus as Risen Christ have taught us to skip the pain of this day. 

We KNOW that Jesus is alive so we cannot really imagine the despair of the Apostles.  But we must try.  Our salvation was not easily won.  Grace is given to us freely, but it is never cheap.  The pain of separation from God overwhelms this quiet day.  The Apostles felt this.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew it.  Peter broke under its weight.  We cannot forget. 

The collect:

    O God, Creator of heaven and earth:  Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on the holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.   Amen.