Holy Saturday
Stop.
Find someplace you can be alone – really alone. Take at least five minutes to be completely quiet. Focus on the stillness.
Listen.
The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. – 1 Peter 4:7-8
Reflect.
Holy Saturday is the most true, real, honest day in the entire Christian year. It’s also one that we mostly don’t talk about. Maybe you’re wondering: what even is Holy Saturday? We have no church services on this day, no rituals or celebrations, not even a specific passage of scripture to point to for this specific day of Holy Week. It’s merely the day after Jesus died and was buried. It is a day of quiet. A day of waiting.
So much of life is like this. We know what happens tomorrow. We know the story. We know the hope of Easter Sunday. But it often feels like we’re still… waiting. Waiting to hear if it’s true. Waiting to see if what Jesus said is real. Waiting to feel that promised victory over death. Waiting to hear if God will really forgive. Waiting, always waiting.
Today, that waiting is all claimed as real and holy. The disciples waited, hidden in their homes. The women waited, hoping they’d be able to get into the tomb and give Jesus a proper burial. The world waited, wondering if it was all over as quickly as it began. And so we wait too, anxious to hear the good news of Easter but for now, just waiting.
If you feel like you’re somewhere between life and death today, somewhere between good news and despair, somewhere between now and not yet, this day is for you. It is holy time. The whole Christian church waits with you.
Pray.
In the stillness, God, I listen for you. I wait for your promise of life. I confess my impatience and doubt in this difficult time. Speak words of hope and endurance to me, that I might see the new life that comes through your Son. Amen.
Carry On.
Can you think of someone who might be waiting today? Someone waiting on a medical diagnosis, a pregnancy, a job offer, a safe place to live? How can you offer a word of support to them today?