Holy Saturday for me is a day for very mixed emotions. It falls between the most sorrowful day and the most joyful day on our church calendar. That’s a powerful position!
The readings today speak about evil, weakness, sin and suffering. They speak about crying out to the Lord in our misery, praying for his protection and begging him to show us the right path. It leads us back to think about Good Friday, Jesus on the cross, dying for our sins, our weakness, the evil we witness daily in this world. We are reminded of how unpleasing we are to him and how we fail him in our weakness.
But in these readings there is hope and these are the words that bring us to that Easter joy.
You came near when I called on you; you said, “Do not fear!” You have taken up my cause, O Lord, you have redeemed my life (Lamentations 3:57-58). Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). But I believe I shall enjoy the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, take courage, be stouthearted, wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14.) Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; cry out to the rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1).
Lamentations 3:37-58
Psalms 27, 88, 95
Hebrews 4:1-16
Romans 8:1-11
