Lent: Holy Saturday
This is the day of Holy Week that we often fail to notice. Usually, once Holy Saturday arrives, people rush to the beach, the pool, or the mall (which usually resumes normal operations). It is as if Holy Week already ended on Good Friday and the following day no longer matters. Yet this is the morning when the body of the Lord lies in the tomb. He died and was buried. Now, the lifeless body of Jesus rests in the grave. He truly embraced the fullness of our humanity, even unto the tomb.
All of us will one day pass through death. Who are the people in your life who have passed away in recent days, weeks, or months? Are you ready when it is your turn to face your own death?
But let us remember: death has been conquered! Sin has been defeated! The goodness of God entered the territory of death to claim it and place it under His power, so that it may no longer be regarded as greater than the gift of eternal life the Lord has given us. For a change, offer a few moments to reflect on death… and then give thanks to God who was not afraid to descend into it for us, and to conquer it in order to save us.
Lord, it saddens me when I think of the death of my loved ones… and it frightens me when I think of my own death. Thank You for removing the virus of death from the hearts of Your servants, Your disciples. This is not the end, but a doorway. This is not the final moment, but a new beginning. After the death of the body, You await us in glory. Amen.
