Silent Saturday

April 11, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’

This day in Holy Week is Silent Saturday. My father died early on a Sunday morning at the VA Hospital in the city where I live. Most of my family lives about seventy miles away, and thus my brother and mother who were at the hospital with me when he died came to my home to do the things people do after a death. My Dad had his first significant heart attach the previous Sunday. The doctors were not encouraging, but after they drained all the retained water from his body, he looked healthier than I had seen him in a while. A lot of essential interchanges happened during that week. He was in good spirits and said to me once rather matter of factly, “It’s worse than you think, Marilynn,” preparing me, I guess. He knew he was dying. We first called my sister, homebound, following a winter storm. We called the local funeral home, all his brothers and sisters,  my parent’s pastor.  We played with food cooked and served automatically, and finally, everyone left. After this, I experienced something similar to silent Saturday.

Sitting in my favorite rocking chair during the dusk of the evening with no artificial light, I turned to music to calm my soul. My Dad gifted me with my love of music. I experienced a deep sense that my Dad has passed through some difficult moments but had arrived at perfect peace. As a result, I, too, knew peace.

I wonder if this is something similar to what Silent Saturday was for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that provided the stamina they need early that next morning to go to Jesus’s tomb and face their new life in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, bless us with your loving presence as we once again prepare to realize your resurrection and to use that opportunity to renew our commitment to your calling. Amen.

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.