Holy Week - Holy Saturday 2025

 Here the whole world (stars, water, air, and field, and forest, as they were reflected in a single mind) like cast off clothes was left behind in ashes, yet with hopes that, in lenten lands, hereafter may resume them on Easter Day.

-  C.S. Lewis - 

Holy Saturday reflects on an interesting period of time in human history.  The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  The dash in the date.

That period between death and resurrection.  The period between the event that causes suffering and the event that brings deliverance.  The eternity between sorrow and joy.

In the Easter week, Friday is definitely a difficult day.  It's the infliction of pain.  It's the day where the death occurs, the suffering is inflicted.

It’s a day of abandonment.  Betrayal.  Denial.

But to me, Saturday, that next day has to be the worst.  It's that period of waiting.  Of reality setting in.  The shock wears off, and everything is real.

On Friday, they were experiencing everything as it was happening, perhaps holding out hope for a miracle to completely change their circumstances that day.  Perhaps in complete shock through the whole experience.

Saturday is the day everything sharpens.  

Jesus died.  And for all the disciples know, he is not coming back.  It's that period we all find ourselves in, where all we can do is just wait in our suffering.  And I don’t know about you, but I'm terrible at waiting.  I want solutions. I want action.  I want to change things, now.   

The fact always remains that you cannot rush this time.

Saturday is when grief begins.  

When you must sit with the loss, with the hurt, with the pain.  When we must mourn with those that mourn.  A time where we must give space for the reality of the pain to be realized, and we are reminded of the imperfectness of this world.   

The good news is that we know it does end.  It does get better.  "Every storm eventually runs out of rain."  There is a place with no more pain, and this sacrifice has made it possible.   For those that follow the Way, for those truly living the life He has called us to, we know the end.  Even if we do not see the victory here, we know who holds it in His hand.

Our job is to live in the waiting.  To make peace with the waiting.  To exist in the already-not yet, for our victories are assured, though we may not have seen them yet.  We push forward until we do.

It's Holy Saturday.  But Easter is Coming!

Today Thou dost keep holy the seventh day,
Which Thou has blessed of old by resting from Thy works.
Thou bringest all things into being and Thou makest all things new,
Observing the Sabbathh rest, my Saviour, and restoring strength.