Silent Saturday
April 8, 2023
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, “After three days I will rise again.” Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, “He has been raised from the dead”, and the last deception would be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.’ So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone. –Matthew 27:57-66
A house divided cannot stand. (See Matthew 12:22-28) One leader, Joseph of Arimathea, sought to bury Jesus. In comparison, the chief priests wanted to stifle any further disruptions from this Jesus as he threatened their way of being. A chill ran down my back as I read this scripture. It brought to my mind the Tennessee Legislature expelling two of its members for protesting gun violence. Six people, seven really including the perpetrator, were killed at a Nashville school. The legislature is not willing to address the issue of gun control. Instead, they proposed requiring schools to lock their doors and hire more security staff. The shooter had a history of mental health issues. Still, she was able to purchase several guns legally. The shooter entered the school with an AR-15 military-style rifle, a 9 mm Kel-Tec SUB2000 pistol caliber carbine, and a 9 mm Smith and Wesson M&P Shield EZ 2.0 handgun, according to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. (CNN) Several more weapons were found in her home.
God sent Jesus to intercede among all peoples to restore righteousness and justice to a world that was losing or had lost its moral compass. That seems to be a recurring reality. Jesus came to model, champion, and advocate for the rule of love. He challenged each of his followers to carry forth that same mission.
In many church calendars, this day is described as Silent Saturday. The first day of grief for Christ’s followers and perhaps a period of relief for those that crucified Jesus. Often the first stage of grief is shock. Silent Saturday is the day God gave Christ’s followers to stop for a while, recall their experiences with Jesus, and prepare for what comes next. The world is still with us, and we, too, in working to fulfill Christ’s mission, need to process our next steps in a world in desperate need of the Savior who has already arrived and dwells among us full of grace and truth. (John 1:17)
Prayer:Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine*. Amen.
*The second verse of the hymn Draw Me Nearer, by Fanny Crosby. See at https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Draw_Me_Nearer_Crosby/
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.