Black Saturday

John 19:38-42 (NRSV)     The Burial of Jesus

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

If the “it is finished” words have anything to do with the re-creation of the world, then the laying of Jesus in the tomb shouts the words of Genesis:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:1-3 NRSV)

When the time of Lent is finished, when we have had the chance to look through the family faith album, when we have heard our story told again, and when we have been given a glimpse of what we, God’s creatures, are capable of—rejecting God’s presence in our lives to the extent that we would kill God—humanity needs at least a time-out. We need time to rest and reflect on God’s loving handiwork, where we have been and where we are going.

In the new world of re-creation we are again invited to rest with God and think about Christ’s calling and discipleship work that we will begin in God’s great resurrection world.

Prayer

Our lives get so busy Lord and in our frantic scheduling we forget your command and invitation to holy rest. Give us strength to say no to our hectic schedules that we might hear your easy, calm breathing in our ears. Amen