Inching Through Holy Saturday
April 10, 2009
I woke up this morning feeling a sense of dread for the day. I felt blank and blasé. I didn’t want to get out of bed and I have no idea why. I have no regrets. I am not sick. It is not raining outside. I even got to bed at a decent time the night before. There is no reason for me to feel this way.
Today is Holy Saturday—the day after the crucifixion of Jesus and the day before His glorious resurrection.
I did finally get out of bed this morning and I read John 19—it is the account in the Bible of the crucifixion of Jesus. As I read about Jesus on the cross, my attention went to those who witnessed the horrific event: Mary, John, the disciples, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and the others.
Chapter 19 in the book of John details the crucifixion of Jesus and chapter 20 tells of the resurrection of Christ on Easter morning. But what about Holy Saturday? In my Bible there is an inch of space between the end of John 19 and the beginning of John 20 that is as blank and empty as I felt this morning.
If they slept at all, I wonder how Mary, John, the disciples, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and the others felt on that Saturday morning? I can’t imagine-but what I do know is that their doubts, questions, feelings and fears did not go unaddressed.
I don’t think we are supposed to spend too much time and energy in the realm of the painful, awkward silence of Holy Saturday—rather, give it its allotted space and read on to the next chapter. We need to rise up from the gloom and despair of Holy Saturday morning realizing that with each tick of the clock we are inching closer to the hope and life of Easter morning.
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (Ephesians 5:14, NIV)
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