Holy Saturday

Today is Holy Saturday – the day Jesus was in the Tomb.

Jesus had always loved those who were in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was. He loved them to the end. So, he stripped Himself of His glory, took on the garment of a slave and washed the feet of those He loved. But this was not enough – God wanted to give more. The he took some bread…gave it to the disciples. “Take it and eat, this is my body…Drink all of you from this, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin.”

But this was not enough – God wanted to give more. So He went into the Garden…My Father, he said, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.

Still, this was not enough – God wanted to give more. And in his anguish he prayed even longer and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.  But God wanted to give more.

He was arrested,

●      mocked, beaten, spit upon,

●      scourged at a pillar, crowned with thorns, condemned to death, made to carry his own cross

●      and crucified on Calvary

But God wanted to give more…Until there was no more to give from a human body Jesus said, “It is finished; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.

This was not enough - Jesus wanted to give more…Go further.

The Good Shepherd must go as far as His sheep can stray, so while his physical body rested in death in the Tomb on Holy Saturday, Jesus went to the realm of the dead, to set free all the just who had died before Him.

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead."