For Lent, we have been using the book, The Art of Lent: A Painting a Day From Ash Wednesday to Easter, by Sister Wendy Beckett. This week, Holy Week, the theme is Love. Our meditation for Holy Saturday is entitled, “Radiant Expectation,” and the focus of our attention will be on the painting, Easter Saturday, 2010, Mark Cazalet. The image is included in the post for this podcast, and accompanies the places where this is posted. If you do not have access to the photo, but do have access to internet, you can google, Easter Saturday, 2010, Mark Cazalet.”
No one has greater love than is this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (Jn15.13) Last night we recognized Jesus’ final words, It is finished, and handing over the Holy Spirit. Today, Jesus occupies some mysterious space that is separate from God’s own self.
For today’s meditation, take a few moments to slow your breathing
Inhale through your nose, noticing your chest expand;
exhale through your mouth, pressing your belly in just a bit further.
Sit with this in space between death and resurrection.
What, in your soul, seems to be still, dead, ready to be raised again? Given new life? Perhaps, something altogether new to grow?
Pay attention to your reactions.
Sit with these thoughts and notice them drawing to the center.
Breathe in the Spirit who prays when we have no words.
Breathe out the grief over these deaths.
Breathe in the hope of resurrection.
As you breathe out, surrender to trust that all will be made new, all will be well.
Continue breathing in and out, allow the Spirit to bring your attention to Jesus, on this Holy Saturday.
Pay attention to God’s invitation to be present.
Settle into the peace of Christ as you listen. Hear the mediation and notice what the spirit of God draws your attention to in this painting. What is Jesus speaking to you here, now?
“Easter Saturday, usually called Holy Saturday, can seem to be a non-day …. in the presence of something greater than we can see.”
Sister Wendy Beckett
On this Holy Saturday, our Creed reminds us that Jesus ‘descended into hell.’ And what we understand to be hell cannot be adequately described, because it indicates that those who occupy it, are outside God’s presence.
Yet, we are told by the psalmist (Ps139) that there is no where we can go that God’s love cannot reach. Before Jesus pierced space-time to walk the earth.
So it must be something that occurs on my end. Because, to God, Love’s reach is infinite.
These works of art are immeasurably helpful – creative means that stimulate creative perspective; imaginative, inventive,
create – ing,
new.
Jesus handed over the Holy Spirit, skeletal, bereft of the body,
so Christ’s flesh could enter this mysterious space that is separate from God’s own self –
to fill it, occupy it, redeem even that so-called place where God allegedly could not go, all so that we might know
no such place exists.
On this Holy Saturday, after walking with Jesus through lent and then through this most Holy Week, we pause
the wait almost over
crowning at this rebirth
anticipating the promise, an oath, a contract with the Creator of all that exists
new life
that is, fullness of life: To live a life permeated by the presence of Jesus
who fills all of the spaces – and in between places
so that we might know there is nowhere God’s Love cannot go
and truly, feely, shamelessly live.
May you abandon yourself to the knowledge that God’s love reaches every bit of you, and may you live this day at the pace of creative, create – ing grace!
