Holy Saturday

Gospel of St John

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mothers’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his own home.

Prayer Meditation

Holy Saturday is a day of patient waiting when we, as Church, prayerfully reflect on the passion and death of Christ and await his resurrection. It is a day of fast as we ready ourselves for the feast of Easter. All around us are signs of hope: an earth stirring with new life, the seed sown in hope and promise last autumn fulfils its promise. As we move towards this empty tomb tomorrow with our individual emptiness, let us pray that Christ will nudge us awake to hope. In him we have reason for hope, a reason to trust because tomorrow our trust is rewarded with life everlasting. Today is the day to trust. Trust God. Simply trust God. (Fr Niall Ahern)

Mary is the one who remains faithful during the emptiness of Holy Saturday when the other disciples seem to have disappeared. Her trust in God remains. From the first moments of saying “Let what you have said be done to me” in reply to the angel Gabriel, Mary still trusts that God is bringing good out of the pain of Good Friday. Today we learn from Mary what it is to live in Holy Saturday while trusting that Sunday is coming.