Holy Saturday--The Vigil at the Tomb

Lent Day 40—The Great Three Days: Vigil of Easter, Saturday April 3

Theme for the Week: The Passion of Christ according to Saint Luke

Passage for the Day: Luke 23:50-55

⁵⁰ Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, ⁵¹ had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. ⁵⁴ It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. ⁵⁵ The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶ Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Reflection:

Today is the last day of Lent—the last day of the Great Three Days. On this Saturday of Holy Week, with the women who saw the tomb, we, too, stand at the tomb. We are in a kind of state of limbo—Jesus is dead, but God has not yet raised him from the dead. Like the women, we are in a kind of state of resting and making preparations, awaiting what will happen.

The women do not yet know that Jesus will be raised. Because we have their witness, we have access to a hope that they did not have. We have the hope of the resurrection to sustain us through this time of waiting.

Tonight we will gather at a fire. We will light a candle, the Pascal or Christ candle and we will wait. To keep our spirits up, we will tell many of the great stories of the Hebrew Scriptures, reminding ourselves of how God has continually saved God’s people. We will sing and pray together. We will remember and remind ourselves that we have been baptized in the name of the one whom God will raise from the dead.

And finally with Mary Magdalene, we will find the stone rolled from the tomb. We will see the two angels in the empty tomb, and we will finally hear the risen Jesus call Mary by name. We will celebrate by sharing a blessed Holy Communion meal together. We will leave, ending our Lenten time and our Vigil, spreading the Good News that Jesus has been raised. Alleluia, He is risen indeed, Alleluia.

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the witness of the faithful women, who spread the word that Jesus had been raised. Thank God for the hope of the resurrection. Pray that my Lenten journey might make the joy of the resurrection even sweeter. Pray that those who have not heard that Christ has been raised from the dead might have an opportunity to experience it.

Good Friday--Jesus' Death--What Does It Mean?

Lent Day 39—The Great Three Days: Good Friday April 2

Theme for the Week: The Passion of Christ according to Saint Luke

Passage for the Day: Luke 23:44-48

⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵ while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. ⁴⁷ When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” ⁴⁸ And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Reflection:

On this the second of The Three Great Days, we will watch as Jesus is crucified. We will hear this say: “Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.” What does Jesus mean by commending his spirit to his father? Luke’s is the only Gospel where Jesus says these words.

In the Gospel of Mark (15:37), it is recorded that “Jesus gave a cry and breathed his last.” Matthew also records (27:50) “Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.” John records (19:30) “he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus actively turns his spirit (his life, his breath) over to his Father. Jesus acknowledges that he has done everything he was sent to do and now leaves the spirit of his life in the hands of his Father, who sent him. It is now up to God to do the rest of what has to be done. It will take a couple of days and a resurrection for Jesus’ followers to really understand what God is up to.

The centurion, a Roman official supervising the crucifixion, is able to praise God after witnessing Jesus’ death. A conversion occurs because of the way in which Jesus died. The centurion also acknowledges Jesus’ innocence. The curtain of the temple is torn in two, meaning that the Holy of Holies is open to everyone. No longer is God separated from the people, but they are in God’s midst. The people who watched the death go home, knowing that they have witnessed a very wrong death and realizing that something very powerful has happened.

The women, who have followed Jesus since the beginning and supported his ministry with resources and effort, stood watching the crucifixion and the death. They witness the way in which Jesus died. What is going through their minds? What are they feeling? Their entire world has been pulled out from under them. Their rabbi, their teacher, has died a terrible death and they are left watching and wondering what it means.

Even 2000 years later, we still stand at the cross, watching in despair and wondering what Jesus’ death means. Today we will gather for worship and follow Jesus to the cross, watching as his death finally happens. In this worship service, allow yourself to stand in the shoes of one of the spectators: the women, the centurion, or one of the crowd. Ponder what went through their minds and what they were feeling during their experience of Jesus’ death.

Prayer Themes:

Pray that Jesus death may move me to deeper faith and greater discipleship. Pray that, like the centurion, the experience of the Three Days may help me to praise God.

Maundy Thursday--May You Not Come Into the Time of Trial

Lent Day 38—The Great Three Days: Maundy Thursday, April 1

Theme for the Week: The Passion of Christ according to Saint Luke

Passage for the Day: Luke 22:39-42

³⁹ He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” ⁴¹ Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.”

Reflection:

Today, the Remembrance and Celebration of The Great Three Days begin. Tonight we will gather to remember Jesus’ last night with his disciples. We will recount how Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and in doing so taught them about servant leadership. We will gather around a Table for a meal, remembering the last meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. We will remember how Jesus told us that the bread and wine are his body and blood, given for us. We will experience Jesus’ presence among us as we share the bread and wine.

The setting for this text from Luke, is after Jesus and the disciples have departed from their last meal together. Jesus has already predicted his own betrayal by one of the disciples and predicted Peter’s denial of him. This scene finds Jesus at the Mount of Olives, ready to begin praying about his upcoming death. Jesus knows that the disciples will have some difficult days coming up, and he urges them to pray so that they will not come into the time of trial.

As we enter the Great Three Days, this prayer is an appropriate one for us also. When I was growing up, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were a part of the culture in which I was submersed. There was no school on Good Friday and it was a time when we were fairly quiet and usually visited elderly relatives. We typically went to church. In our culture today, nothing stops for the Great Three Days. Yet, we are called by God to spend time in prayer, reflection, and remembrance during these three days. The culture draws us one way—business as usual; God calls us to stop and pray. Pray you do not come into the time of trial—tempted by the frenzy of the world.

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the gift of The Three Days with the opportunity to experience Jesus’ passion. Thank God for Jesus’ sacrifice for me. Pray that I will not fall into a time of trial. Pray for those who are experiencing trials and temptations.