... WITH GOD, IN OUR HOLY SATURDAYS
Throughout much of my day, I wait-through my ‘Holy Saturdays.’ Other times I weigh-in on my Holy Saturdays - very analytically (and often, anal retentively/judgmentally). Other times, I wade-in my Holy Saturdays, as if I were wading in a stream of water flowing up to my shins, only wearing my dry swim trunks, a utility belt (w/my college diploma, a bottle of water, a harpoon/in case I get hungry, and my bible) - already having donned my snorkel in case waters get too steep, in this small body of water - all because I’m waiting for a sign from God. I used to wait for hours, days, and sometimes weeks/months/years, wading in the water, weighing-in while in the water, waiting-through, and generally just ‘waiting’ until I can experience a sign from God, which I hope can look more like the Triumph of a Resurrection and less so, like Jesus’ Passion and suffering. After about 40 years, I wonder why I need, all-this-stuff in my utility belt as I live through my ‘wait?’ The equipment gets heavy after awhile and wearing my snorkel all the time is uncomfortable & makes it pretty difficult to breathe. I ask myself, ‘What am I doing?’ I realized that in bringing all of this ‘stuff’ I hadn’t asked God to join me in my wait. Whoops.
Holy Saturday, in many Christian traditions, is a time of communal ‘waiting’ - the period of despair after Jesus’ death, but before the arrival of the Good News, of his resurrection. We live many, if not most, of our days, waiting in our own, Holy Saturdays, and that can feel pretty lonely - especially if we struggle to feel God’s presence during our wait. Let us be invited to remember have we have the choice, 70x7 times/day to volitionally ask God for the grace of his presence - especially during the many ways throughout our days that we find ourselves turning away from his companionship. Communally, may we continue to take physical and metaphorical ‘forward steps’ through the Holy Saturdays of our own lives, and may we continue to remember to humbly ask and allow God to enter-into the center of our lives.
We read of the creation story in Gen 1 of today’s readings, we remember that God created the land, sea, light, and people out of nothing as he said, ‘...it is good.’ Upon creating human beings, he said, “... AND it is VERY good...” I invite you to diaphragmatically breathe (pursed lipped if medically/safely for you to do so - as if you’re slowly blowing out birthday candles), this Holy Saturday, as we breathe in/out, God’s Ruoch, his breathe, the wind, never ceasing, as it enters and exits our bodies.
May we remember our own ‘original goodness’ in the midst of the sometimes slow and painful waits, of our Holy Saturdays. May we allow ourselves to continually and lovingly rethink as we remember the importance of the role of women, the first, disciplines of the risen Christ, in our church. May we remember that we are never alone - that, wherever we are, during these 15 earthly minutes of our eternal lives with God, is where God is waiting to meet us, and these moments, do indeed, have the potential to be VERY good.
Lord, how can I allow you to better reach me, today?
Randy Naku