Holy Saturday/Our Lady of Holy Saturday
Today, the Church is silent. The church bells do not ring, the Churches are stripped and silent. We are invited to unite ourselves with the Virgin Mother in expectation of the New Day. Today is a day to help us understand how to live in confident hope the “many other days” of silence that life presents us along our journey. It is good to spend some time with Mary for this is the only way we can take up our journey again.
“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. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep.
“He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’ ” (From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday, Office of Readings, Holy Saturday)
Prayer
Mary, Sorrowful Mother,
Woman of the Sabbath,
who in silence, torn by pain,
followed your Son, Jesus
all the way to the Cross,
remain at the side
of those who have been
made your children
by your Son.
Protect and defend us
under your mantle
as we await the new day,
the glory of your Son’s resurrection.
Mary, Sorrowful Mother,
Woman of the Sabbath,
help us to live
this moment
of “cross” and “silence”.
As you, O Virgin Mother,
remained standing under the cross of your Son,
and knew how to care for
the disciples of your Son in expectation,
so too today, help us
live in the expectation of good times,
learning not to waste
this experience of the passion.
Mary, Sorrowful Mother,
Woman of the Sabbath,
Protect and defend us,
Pray for us now and always. Amen.
(Father Andrea Vena)
