Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 11, 2020
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.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
On Easter weekend, we often ponder the glory of Christ’s sacrificial death which inaugurates the salvation of our souls and we celebrate his resurrection which indelibly marks our lives with the hope of eternal life. Let us now contemplate the rather simple day that rests between Good Friday and Easter Sunday: Holy Saturday. Jesus lies in the dark cave following his crucifixion and before his resurrection. He lies in silence, naked (except for his burial wrappings) and alone in the dark, cold, tomb. His day of utter darkness in the cave must have felt like an eternity to him.
This day of Jesus’ entombment gives us time to ponder the darkness of the world without our Savior. No light of love. No mercy for our transgressions. No sacraments of grace. No hope of eternal life. Every day would feel like an eternal darkness had not Jesus spent time in the tomb and then rose from the dead!
Like Jonah in the belly of the whale for three days praying for his conversion and Christ in the “belly of the earth” for three days praying for humankind, we are given this day to pray for our own holiness and conversion of heart. We remember from the Apostles’ Creed that Christ descended among the dead, so that, in death, he might conquer death. Let us share in the darkness experienced by Christ today so that tomorrow when that big stone is rolled away from the door of the tomb, the bright light that shines forth will glorify our hearts with the light of Christ.
Prayer
Almighty God of surprises, your plans and actions exceed not only our expectations, but also our imagination. Help us to remember not to seek the living among the dead. Open our eyes to notice experiences of darkness transformed into light, death to new life. As Mary, Joanna, and Mary were harbingers of joy and salvation, help us to be the same, through Christ our Risen Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Today, the Church recalls Jesus' suffering and death and waits in hope to celebrate the resurrection, by which we receive new and abundant life.
The reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus holds relics from the tomb of Jesus.
Like yesterday, no sacraments are celebrated today (until the Easter Vigil) because we recall Jesus’ entombment in death. This day is the quietest moment of the Church year—there are no liturgical services today as we wait outside of the tomb.
The icon to the left is from Cora Church in Istanbul. This famous icon depicts Christ's harrowing of Hell, as he pulls our first parents, Adam and Eve, out of their caskets and ushers them into the Resurrection.
Holy Saturday commemorates Christ's death—Christ's entry into the deepest pain of our existence, into the shades of Hades, where no one can praise God. Christ enters into the deepest, darkest places of the human experience—places where the human being can separate herself from God. But Christ the Bridegroom enters into the darkness of hell, into our own Calvary of pain or loss, and brings us to the joy of Easter.
An ancient sermon for Holy Saturday paints this beautiful image of Christ coming to awake these sleeping souls, Christ as a lover who urges us to leave hell and rise with him to heaven:
Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.
Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image.
Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.
For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave;
I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth.
As we wait in quiet today for the joy of the Resurrection tomorrow, let us remember that Christ loves us so deeply, he will descend to the darkest reaches of the universe to bring us back to him.
On this Holy Saturday, let us wait near the tomb of Jesus, hopeful for the resurrection!
Image Credit: Our featured image of the harrowing of hell on Good Saturday is in the public domain. Last accessed February 13, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
