RETREAT IN LENT 2021
Day 46,
Holy Saturday, 3 April
Waiting
‘At the place where he had been crucified there was a garden
and in it there was a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Since it
was the Jewish Day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they aid Jesus there’
(John). ‘Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Joset, took note of where he
was laid’ (Mark): ‘they were sitting opposite the sepulchre’ (Matthew) and
‘they took note of the tomb and how the body hade been laid. Then they returned
and prepared spices and ointments. And on the Sabbath day they rested, as the
Law required’ (Luke).
They waited. On that first Holy Saturday they did not know
what they were waiting for. Many today also wait, without knowing. But Paul is
clear; ‘for the whole of creation is waiting with eagerness for the children of
God to be revealed’ (Romans 8:19).
Easter night
‘Early in the morning while it was still dark’ (John 20:1)
that revealing took place. Everything happens so quietly and so few people are
involved. But those few women and men represent us – people of every generation
and every place in the world. And we have come to celebrate that night. We
light a fire representing the greatest human discovery. And from that fire we
light a candle representing the coming of Jesus the Christ and his rising, the
greatest divine event that has touched the world. We sing and we dance and we
read the ancient prophesies. Genesis 1, Exodus 14, Isaiah 55, and then Romans
6:3-11 and Mark 16:1-18. We welcome new members through the rite of
Baptism and we celebrate the Eucharist, the greatest act of thanks we are
capable of, for the first time since Jesus entered his passion on Thursday
night.
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