Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on Holy Saturday

​Yesterday Jesus, our Love, died for us. Today we might think of Him as dead in the tomb, and we'd be right to a point, but He is also, as always, very busy doing His Father's work. The liturgy, which seems so silent today with no Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, actually spills the beans in the 2nd reading of the Office of Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours, taken from an ancient homily for this day:

"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.'

‘I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of My hands, arise, you who were fashioned in My image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in Me and I in you, together We are one undivided person.'

‘For you, I your God became your son; for you, I the Master took on your form; that of slave; for you, I who am above the heavens came on earth and under the earth; for you, man, I became as a man without help, free among the dead; for you, who left a garden, I was handed over to Jews from a garden and crucified in a garden.'

‘Look at the spittle on My face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on My cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to My own image.'

'See the scourging of My back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. See My hands nailed to the tree for a good purpose, for you, who stretched out your hand to the tree for an evil one.'

`I slept on the cross and a sword pierced My side, for you, who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side healed the pain of your side; My sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades; My sword has checked the sword which was turned against you.'

‘But arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of Heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God.'

'The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages.'"

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This is one of my favorite readings of the year, and helps make this a favorite day of the year. But God's love is infinite, and His treasures shine forth demanding more that one glance.  

Some time ago a dear fellow Carmelite, Brother Mark, sent me this poem by SIster Mary Ada, OSJ. God bless them both!

Limbo 

The ancient grayness shifted
Suddenly and thinned
Like mist upon the moors
Before a wind.
An old, old prophet lifted
A shining face and said:
"He will be coming soon.
The Son of God is dead; 
He died this afternoon."

A murmurous excitement stirred
All souls.
They wondered if they dreamed -
Save one old man who seemed
Not even to have heard.

And Moses standing 
Hushed them all to ask
If any had a welcome song prepared.
If not, would David take the task?
And if they cared
Could not the three young children sing
The Benedicite, the canticle of praise
They made when God kept them from perishing
In the fiery blaze?

A breath of spring surprised them,
Stilling Moses's words.
No one could speak remembering
The first fresh flowers,
The little singing birds.
Still others thought of fields new ploughed
Or apple trees
All blossom-boughed.
Or some, the way a dried bed fills
With water
Laughing down green hills.
The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam
On bright blue seas.
The one old man who had not stirred
Remembered home.


And there He was 
Splendid as the morning sun and fair
As only God is fair.
And they, confused with joy,
Knelt to adore
Seeing that He wore
Five crimson stars
He never had before.

No canticle at all was sung.
None 'toned a psalm, or raised a greeting song.
A silent man alone
Of all that throng
Found tongue -
Not any other.
Close to His heart
When the embrace was done,
Old Joseph said,
"How is Your Mother,
How is Your Mother, Son?"

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Holy Saturday is Mary's day par excellence.

As Jesus told Marcel on Good Friday, 1946:

Remember, today is the day when I gave you to my Mother Mary so that you might be her true child; it is also the day when I gave Mary to you to be your true Mother. Finding myself in the presence of my Mother, I suffered with joy. At that moment, when all the creatures of the world seemed to have abandoned me, only my Mother remained to comfort me. Even God the Father seemed to wish no longer to look at me; but my Mother Mary did not cease to look at me until the time when I escaped from suffering. Oh! Little brother, Mary is your real Mother as well as mine. When she sees you suffer, she is closer to you to console you, for all time until you, too, will have escaped all suffering. Mary, you are the true Mother of Marcel, the real Mother of all souls; never be far from your children.

Marcel, Mary is your true Mother, and you are really her child. Always think of her; she understands you better than you understand yourself. She knows your sufferings, she is always close to you, carrying you unceasingly in her arms and covering you with kisses . . . 

Little brother, no matter how great your sufferings, always remind yourself that I, also, have suffered, but Mary has comforted Me. It will be the same for you. Mary will never abandon you in your suffering. Besides, when you suffer, it is she who suffers even more, since she is your Mother . . . 

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So beautiful, but that was yesterday. Today, on the day Our Lady is seemingly alone in the silence that reigns on earth between her Son's death and resurrection, Jesus sends us to her again. He asks us the question He asked Marcel on Holy Saturday, 1946, and He gives us the same perfect advice: 

Today, little brother, have you thought yet of your Mother? What favor do you propose asking of her? Perhaps it is not necessary to ask her, since all that belongs to her already belongs to you. However it is not possible for you to receive her favors without giving her a big smile. That's how it is! See, Mary is looking at you and wishes to speak to you. Listen.

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I hope you find Mary today, and rest assured that even if you're running around with last minute Easter preparations, she will find you. Yes, she has found you long ago, she loves you, she is always close to you, carrying you unceasingly in her arms and covering you with kisses . . . and she will take care of everything! So no more worrying about anything, any more, ever. The victory is with love, and Love has you safe and sound.

​Draw me; we will run!