Ascension Lutheran Church

Calgary, AB

Easter Vigil

April 11, 2020

It’s a day of waiting, for the disciples and for us. The other two days of the Triduum had plenty going on. Maundy Thursday with the last supper, Jesus giving the 12 a new commandment to love one another as he loved them, as he washed their feet, and establishing the sacrament of Holy Communion.

It’s a day of waiting, for the disciples and for us. The other two days of the Triduum had plenty going on. Maundy Thursday with the last supper, Jesus giving the 12 a new commandment to love one another as he loved them, as he washed their feet, and establishing the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Good Friday had Jesus praying in the Garden with the sleepy disciples before his betrayal and arrest. Then marched off to his appearance before the Sanhedrin and Pilate, our Lord was condemned to the cross, his crucifixion, death and burial.

But as we read the gospel accounts, between Friday and Sunday there is nothing. Saturday was the Jewish sabbath so as good Jews we could expect the 11 and other followers of Jesus did what they knew to do—they kept the sabbath, that day devoted to God, Their God whose ways were even more opaque and unknowable than usual. As they wonder what the future looks like now that Jesus, the one they believed to be the Messiah, died a cursed death being hung on a tree, whose lifeless body lay in a tomb—they waited, they worshipped they prayed, with no clue as to what all was taking place.

2 Peter 3.18 ff tells of what we refer to as the harrowing of Hell, which first felt the power of the resurrection.

Listen to an excerpt of an ancient homily for Holy Saturday:

What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.

Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam’s son.

The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

‘I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.

http://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20010414_omelia-sabato-santo_en.html

As Jesus’ followers waited and wondered, worshipped and prayed, God was at work in ways of which they were completely unaware. As we wait and wonder, worship and pray this Holy Saturday in anticipation of celebrating our Lord’s resurrection, let us do so confidently trusting that God continues to be mysteriously at work for our salvation and the salvation of the world.