Holy Saturday
Today is Holy Saturday. There are no Scripture readings for our reflection because there is no Eucharist celebrated during the day.
This is so because Jesus is in the tomb. We are grieving and mourning. We should observe a great silence.
If you pray the Roman Liturgy of Hours, you will find a very profound reflection on this. I will share a few selections from this ancient homily about Holy Saturday.
“Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh …”
The homilist then invites us to listen to Jesus speaking to Adam. Remember how we say in the Apostles Creed, “He [Christ] descended into hell.” He does this to bring all the faithful from ages past who have been waiting for Christ to open heaven.
Christ “has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve …The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror …”
But Christ reassures Adam. “Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead …”
Jesus speaks those words also to us. Holy Saturday is a day to watch at the tomb and to wait. The Risen Christ will soon invite us to awake.
Reflection by Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources