I have always loved Holy Saturday. Richard Rohr calls it "liminal time" - the time after death and before resurrection. A time to rest and allow things to come together. Tomb - womb - interesting.
There are many things I do each year during Lent in order to prepare my heart for Easter. They are rituals and experiences that I love, and I find comfort and strength in moving through these touchstones of the Lenten journey. In the end, the hope (goal?) is that my heart will be more open to experiencing God's presence in my life - more open to that resurrection energy, that can then empower me for service. Sadly, I was unable to do most of the Lenten rituals that are so meaningful to me, and I confess that I was concerned that I would come to Easter without the joy and peace that comes from intentionally taking this journey.
Then on Friday - unexpectedly - an amazing sense of peace overtook me (for no apparent reason - I guess that is why it is called "the peace that passes understanding"). It settled into my heart and opened it like a flower. I was stunned - awed - and deeply grateful. Then I remembered again that peace is not something that we can manufacture - it is a gift, freely given, from our loving God whose hands and feet are pierced. God knows - yes indeed, God knows...and God understands...and God is with us.
We are not alone as we move through any situation that is like a death - God moves through the situation with us, and promised to bring us from death to life. We do not have to make it happen - it is the very nature of God to do this. We can cooperate, but we are not called to do all the heavy lifting. Jesus did not resurrect himself, roll the stone away, and then relax after all that hard work. Matthew's Gospel is very clear: "He has been raised." God's love in action - for us all.
I allow this love and peace to fill me to overflowing, and look forward to bringing this joy to tomorrow's Celebration of the Resurrection.
Deep peace,
Kim
No comments:
Post a Comment