Today, Holy Saturday

Yesterday evening I ended Good Friday with a time of silent prayer and reflection around the cross, with others from my parish. It began with a spoken reflection, which ended by speaking of the silence of the Cross as a strange silence in the world today, a pause that stretches across centuries and cultures. 

That silence still extends across today, Holy Saturday, though less starkly. If a silence can be maintained, but also softened by busyness, then that it what happens today. The Church wisely keeps today empty, and free from services, except for the prayers of the Office - though for ministers and liturgists and flower arrangers, today is also all-too full with preparations for the Easter Vigil. As one of my Turvey Abbey friends has observed in her blog, Easter liturgies and treats do not plan [or prepare] themselves! For the rest of us, though, today is, ideally, a day for stillness, reflection and quiet, even as we cook and clean and continue with other activities. And because of this, it is a strangely empty betwixt and between kind of day - still overshadowed by yesterday's grief and death, even as we stand on the cusp of celebrating the Resurrection, and all its promise of new life. 

My parish gave away double-sided posters for us to place in our windows this Holy Week and Easter. The crucified Christ on one side, Alleluia on the other. A great way of saving paper, as well as reminding us that the Triduum is one continuous commemoration, and that the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus are inextricably linked. But, as you can see, the light streaming through the window has blended both sides, so that I can see a reverse Holy Week overlaid with the Resurrection. Crucified Love is backlit by Risen Love... or maybe it's the other way round...

Which is as it should be. So today, as we stand betwixt and between these two central realities, let us pray that the transformative, redeeming, life-giving Light of Christ can achieve this union of Crucified and Risen Love in and for us - and through us, across our bruised and hurting world. 

And may your Easter Vigil be blessed and joy-filled, especially if you worked hard to prepare for it!