Holy Week: Saturday Vigil
Matthew 27:62-66
--------------------------
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate
27:63 and said, "Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise again.'
Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the last deception would be worse than the first."
Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can."
So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
--------------------------
Our Good Friday vigil of shadows and silence continues today.
We know that Easter is coming.
All the armed guards in the world cannot stop it.
No shelter-in-place restrictions can get in the way.
But Jesus' friends didn't know Easter was coming.
They could only see endless shadows.
They had no idea what was just around the corner.
We understand how that feels.
The shadows are so deep that we cannot see what is coming.
We have no idea what tomorrow might bring.
As soldiers are activated and deployed,
we wait.
As the officials make things as secure as they can,
we wait.
Creation groans silently,
And we wait for resurrection.
--------------------------
In the beginning, Creator, you moved into the depths of chaos.
When the world was formless and void, your spirit hovered over the face of the deep.
And then you spoke, and there was light.
Today we wait for you to speak light and life and hope.
We do not know what tomorrow holds.
Daddy, hold us while we wait.