Holy Saturday: Waiting Between the Cross and the Resurrection

Tomorrow is Holy Saturday.

Jesus, the hope of so many, had been brutally crucified and buried on Good Friday. We can only begin to imagine the anguish His followers must have felt, the shock, the grief, and the deep sense of loss.

The man who had so radically changed their lives, the one they believed to be their Savior, was gone. Holy Saturday is marked by that quiet devastation, a day filled with waiting and uncertainty.

And yet, through Scripture, we know that this day was not empty.

This is the day that Jesus descended to the dead, where the Gospel was proclaimed even there. His saving work did not cease. Even in death, He was at work, though the world could not yet see it.

Holy Saturday places us in a space between two realities, between the sorrow of the cross and the joy of the resurrection. It is a day suspended between darkness and light, between death and the promise of new life.

We remember the grief of those who loved Him, and at the same time, we live with the knowledge of what is to come.

The next day is Easter.

The Great Vigil of Easter

Traditionally, the Great Vigil of Easter is the very first celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. As night falls on Holy Saturday, Christians around the world gather for this beautiful liturgy. The Great Vigil of Easter is one of the Church’s oldest services. It was already well-established by the 4th century.

Traditionally, the service began late in the evening and lasted until well after midnight so that the new day (Easter) could be met with the celebration of the Easter Eucharist. It is on this “most holy night” that our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life. We as the Church, throughout the world, gather in vigil and prayer to remember the Passover of the Lord. For in hearing his holy Word and celebrating his Sacraments we as the Church share in his victory over death. Through the Vigil, the mystery of Easter becomes alive and we all are incorporated into the saving acts of Christ.

The Easter Vigil begins with the Service of Light. A fire is lit outside of the church and we are reminded that Christ is the Light of the world as the Paschal candle is lit from the fire. The church which has been stripped bare is gradually filled with the light of Christ as each person’s candle is lit from the fire of the Paschal candle as it is processed into the church. We as a congregation listen in wonder as the Exsultet, the traditional Great Easter Proclamation, is sung. We rejoice in “the victory of our mighty King” for “darkness has been vanquished” and we pray for “the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light!"

From the Service of Light, we move to the Service of Lessons in which the whole history of salvation is proclaimed through the reading of holy scriptures. We begin with the story of creation in Genesis and we move through the Old Testament concluding with the regathering of God’s people in the book of Zephaniah.

We now move on to the Service of Holy Baptism. It was customary for converts to the faith to prepare for Holy Baptism throughout Lent. Their preparation complete, they would experience the joy of Holy Baptism at the Great Vigil and receive for the very first time the sanctified Bread and Wine, the blessed Body and Blood of our Lord, in the first Holy Eucharist of Easter. It was a wondrous and joyous time. Today we still baptize people at the Great Vigil and everyone in the congregation joins with them in renewing their commitment to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.

After the baptisms, the celebrant faces the people and proclaims the Great Alleluia three times in jubilation, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!” To which the people respond three times in jubilation, “The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!” The Alleluias are back for the first time since Lent began over 40 days before and with this triumphant exchange, the candles at the altar are lit with the light of the Paschal candle, the lights in the church are thrown on, all in the congregation who brought bells begin ringing them and the altar is vested with all the glory of Easter. Christ is Risen from the dead!

Traditionally, the Eastern Orthodox Church reads St. John Chrysostom’s incomparable Paschal Sermon. This homily has been read faithfully for centuries at the Great Vigil of Easter. It is a powerful sermon that proclaims that “the Lord gives generously. The Lord accepts the offering of every work. The Lord honors every deed and commends every intention... You who have kept the fast, and you who have not, rejoice this day, for the Table is richly spread! Feast royally upon it, for He has prepared the fatted calf. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all of you, of the banquet of faith. Come and enjoy the bounty of the Lord’s goodness!”

The final and ultimate part of the Vigil is the celebration of the Easter Eucharist. Christ has become our Passover Lamb. He has won for us salvation. And as we partake of this holy Sacrament, the Eucharist, we “celebrate the memorial of our redemption” and offer thanks to God that we have been “graciously accepted as living members of his Son our Savior Jesus Christ.” Because of his great love for us, we have passed from death to life. Because of his death and triumphant resurrection, we have been redeemed and brought back to our true home!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Ways to Observe Holy Saturday

• Read Matthew 27:57–66

• Take time to discuss together:

  • Why do you think Joseph of Arimathea offered his tomb for Jesus?

  • Why were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary waiting outside the tomb?

  • How do you think they felt as they waited?

  • What were the Pharisees afraid might happen to Jesus’ body?

  • What did Pilate do in response?

• Prepare your home and heart for Easter:

  • Dye Easter eggs

  • Set out your church clothes for the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday

  • Begin preparing an Easter feast

• Attend an Easter Vigil service

• Make Resurrection Cookies with your family. Resurrection Cookies are meringue cookies made with intentional steps and Scripture readings that walk through the story of Christ’s death and resurrection. The cookies are placed in a warm oven overnight, and when opened on Easter morning, they are hollow inside, just like the empty tomb.

  
  

the recipe -

Resurrection Cookies

After supper, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Then assemble the ingredients for the Resurrection cookies.

3 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 cup of sugar

pinch of salt

1 cup of pecans

A Bible

Place pecans in a plastic baggie and let your children beat them with a wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain to them that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon of vinegar into a mixing bowl. Explain to them that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was only given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Explain to them that eggs represent life and that Jesus gave his life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain to them that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing!

Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain to them that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because of his great love for us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain to them that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain to them that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape to seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

Explain to them that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22. Now, go to bed.

When you wake up the next morning it’s Easter! Open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matthew 28:1-9 and rejoice in Jesus’ resurrection!