Saturday 30 March 2013

Holy Saturday - 'It's a day off then!'

Every tried explaining that after the eight services and stuff that demanded one's attention as the road to Calvary came to its conclusion that 'Holy Saturday' (AKA 'Easter Eve' or 'Black Saturday') is not 'a day off'.

When I tried to explain that Jesus is now in the tomb and so we, the Church, spend this as a day when little is done (outside of ministry to the sick and dying) because without the vision of hindsight I guess we're now all grieving the loss of the Teacher.

But Sunday's coming and that (just happening around the world) brings new life, new hope and the great news that Jesus, having taking sin's weapon (death) and having broken it (resurrection) had defeated sin and death and rendered it powerless.

Day off? No!

Just not doing much :-)

Waiting, watching, hoping, praying - just the usual :-)

2 comments:

Follower of Francis said...

Most of the non-Anglican churches around us do not keep Good friday, Holy Week and the like. They prefer to wait until Sunday and celebrate the resurrection.

Soup D said...

As an Anglican Parish, we mark Maundy Thursday with a shared Seder meal. Most churches in our town (of all denominations) meet together on Good Friday for a public witness. we then celebrate the REsurrection on Sunday.

My experience is that this is quite normal for most traditional C of E churches - although it is true that there are some that prefer to ignore the horror (and cost) of Good Friday and just focus on the triumphalism of Easter Sunday, but to do so leads one towards a 'cheap grace', I feel.