Saturday, April 7, 2012

Holy Saturday 2012


Rabbi Abraham Joseph Heschl, in his book, The Sabbath, tells the apocryphal story of the solitary Jew who is confined for years in an underground chamber. Despite his ignorance of days and nights and the change of seasons, because he is devout, he always knows when the Sabbath comes. Its unfailing presence stirs his observant heart even in isolation.
On this particular Sabbath, we remember Jesus’ rest in an underground chamber after the labor of his Passion, and who would begrudge his Sabbath? His bloodless body is spent; utterly broken and exhausted. There is no spirit in his flesh for he has given it entirely to his Father.
We remember the silence of that day and the calm that settled over the city after its paroxysm of blood-thirsty rage. Perhaps some of them wondered “What came over us?” as others clung to their self-righteousness saying, “He brought it on himself!”  
We remember also Jesus’ disciples hiding in the upper room. They must have relied on women to provide them with food and news of the city as they waited for they-knew-not-what.
Ilia Delio, in her book The Humility of God, reflecting our Franciscan school of thought, sees in the crucifixion of Jesus his total gift of himself to God the Father. His complete surrender to God as a man reflects like a mirror the unconditional and absolute self-emptying of God the Father to Jesus. As hard as it is to imagine, we might see two infinitely deep quantities of liquid love poured generously into one another and vanishing in an infinite abyss of gratitude. Somewhere in that incomprehensibly dynamic mystery is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though this mystery is so far beyond our comprehension that we can neither understand nor describe it, we have seen it -- and we know it's true. 

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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.

Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.

I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.

You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.