‘Saturday’

Jesus’ followers were devastated by what had happened on Good Friday. They felt defeated and bewildered, wondering if they would meet a similar fate.

When our daughter was an adolescent, she drew a cartoon of Jesus sitting in the tomb before the large stone had been removed. He was looking at a wristwatch and thinking, ‘Any minute now...’. The caption read, ‘Saturday’. Although that seems like an innocent view of the crucified Christ, it described the anticipation I feel just before Easter. Those of us who know the rest of the story can look forward to the joy and celebration of the resurrection. Yet we may not appreciate the grief and futility that Jesus’ followers experienced on Saturday because we already know what happens next.

The period beginning with Good Friday and ending on Easter Sunday morning is an especially appropriate time for fasting. Denying ourselves, reflecting on Jesus’ sacrifice, praying, waiting-these disciplines prepare us for the joy of Easter. As we claim the resurrection for ourselves, so we share in the sorrow and grief that precedes it. Without experiencing the darkness, we cannot fully appreciate the light.

Prayer: Father God, help us to dare to dwell in the darkness of the tomb today, so that we can experience the full joy of Easter morning.