A Great Silence on Earth: Holy Saturday

Source: standrews.org.nz

Those involved with tonight’s Easter Vigil likely have plenty of things to take care of today: preparing a homily, practicing with lectors and other ministers, making sure that all is set for the many details of the vigil, decorating the church, preparing a social, shining gold and other sacred vessels, and making last minute changes.

But for most of us, Holy Saturday is generally a quieter day. As we go about our Saturday and pre-Easter tasks, let us give some time to reflect on the strange beauty of this day.

The day between Good Friday and the Easter Vigil is described in the Roman Missal.

“On Holy Saturday the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb in prayer and fasting, meditating on his Passion and Death and on his Descent into Hell, and awaiting his Resurrection.

 The Church abstains from the Sacrifice of the Mass, with the sacred table left bare, until after the solemn Vigil … when the time comes for paschal joys, the abundance of which overflows to occupy fifty days.”

Churches that celebrate Holy Saturday traditionally do so by observing a day of somber reflection as they contemplate the world of darkness that would exist without the hope of Christ’s resurrection.

The Office of Readings for Holy Saturday includes a beautiful excerpt from an ancient homily for this day. It starts,

“Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.”

The homily goes on to stress to us that, “Out of love for you and your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, and all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell.”

Philip Shano, SJ has many years of rich and varied experience working with Ignatian spirituality: teaching, writing and using it in his ministry. He resides in the Jesuit community in Pickering, Ontario.

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5 Comments
  • Peter Bisson
    Posted at 01:08h, 20 April Reply

    Thank you Philip!

  • Shirley McLean, CLC member
    Posted at 07:59h, 20 April Reply

    Thanks for you reflection on this Easter Saturday! Blessings!

  • Peter Monty, SJ
    Posted at 10:02h, 20 April Reply

    Thanks, Phil. Reflecting on Holy Saturday, in a sense Christians today are called to be a Holy Saturday people. We do not yet enjoy the fullness of the resurrection but are invited to see the signs that the Lord of Life has conquered the nether world of darkness death and alienation. The SIGNS pop up sometimes in unexpected places!

    • Peter Monty, SJ
      Posted at 10:05h, 20 April Reply

      Thanks, Phil. Reflecting on Holy Saturday, in a sense Christians today are called to be a Holy Saturday people. We do not yet enjoy the fullness of the resurrection but are invited to see the signs that the Lord of Life has conquered the nether world of darkness death and alienation. The SIGNS pop up sometimes in unexpected places!

  • Esther Buckley
    Posted at 22:02h, 20 April Reply

    Thank you Fr. Shano.

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