MY daily reflection and prayer:
Holy Saturday, March 26, 2016
Easter Triduum
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Luke 24:1-12
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering what had happened.
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
TODAY is Holy Saturday, the third day of our Easter Triduum. We contemplate Jesus who has loved us to the end until his burial. In the silence of this Holy Saturday, we meditate and prepare ourselves for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Today we come to Jesus Christ in quiet, expectant prayer, patiently awaiting the new dawn of Easter, knowing that what seems like defeat is really the victory of life. We grasp the magnitude of his death and resurrection.
We wait quietly with Mary Magdalene and other women as proclaimed in today’s Gospel to meditate slowly with her, to go to a lonely place and contemplate the Lord’s death. The silence of Holy Saturday is a day of sorrow and of hope. It is not a silence of despair and hopelessness, but rather a silence of great expectation ready to burst forth in the overwhelming joy of Easter.
Although Mary Magdalene and other women were preparing everything to finish the task of anointing Jesus’ dead body; we must contemplate this day from the other side of the Resurrection. Jesus had told them all that would happen to him, including his resurrection. Jesus had spoken plainly to them, yet their minds were not prepared to understand.
It is the same for us; we must remember Christ’s words because oftentimes our minds too are closed. Many times we think we know who Jesus is and what he is teaching us, but really it doesn’t enter our heart.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist, while wirshipping Jesus Christ, we learn to listen carefully to what he tells us in the Gospel to comprehend the deeper meaning of his words. There we try to keep as much prayerful silence in order to prepare well for the joy of Easter.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, the silence of this day helps us to ponder in our heart all you have accomplished for us during the past few days. We will go to the tomb with the holy women, not to anoint your dead body, but to rejoice with the angels as they proclaim that you have risen! Grant us the joy of Easter now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
