EXPLORING HOLY SATURDAY

Where is God when heaven is silent?

On Holy Saturday, it is not Jesus but we who must ask the “Where?” question:

“Where on earth are You, God, when Your Son lies dead in the grave?”

On Holy Saturday, the hopes and prayers of every disciple lay dashed and broken in the grave. But God did nothing. Said nothing. No sound but the buzzing of flies around the corpse of the Son.

Day 29: Resurrection

Pause

“But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help, and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.” - Psalm 40:17

Reflect

  • Bible: “The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” - Luke 23:55-56

  • Book: I describe attending a funeral, where everyone seemed a bit too keen to "solve” the unfathomable tragedy of our friends death: “I drove away later, thinking, how very fragile our faith must be if we can't just remain sad, scared, confused, and doubting for a while. In our fear of unknowing, we leapfrog Holy Saturday and rush the resurrection. We race, disconcerted, to make meaning, and find beauty where there simply is none. Yet.” - (p. 171-172)

Ask

  • In what areas of your life would you consider yourself being poor and needy?

  • Describe a time when you felt God was delayed in helping you through a crisis?

  • How do you resonate with the women who saw the tomb and how Jesus' body was laid?

  • Some use a burial service to mourn the loss of a loved one. Others use a burial service to celebrate the life of a loved one. In your opinion, what is the purpose of a burial service, and why do you feel this way?

  • Is it possible that you are trying too hard to make sense of things, rushing to fix things, instead of just living with mess for a while?

  • Do you ever feel pressured to tidy up your feelings, your questions, or even your theology in order to appease other people?

  • When was the last time that you asked the Lord to help you be more okay with not being okay, requesting courage to be vulnerable and grace to live with more mess?

Yield

The serenity prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.



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