milk & honey mamas

Grieving

Written by Kristen

Theological Background

Saturday does not receive any attention in Mark’s account. In the other gospels, there are a few additions that reflect the evolving theology of the later Jesus movements.

Sometimes called “the harrowing of hell,” traditions depicting this day tell of Jesus visiting hell, crushing Hades, and liberating the honorable saints. Almost always, Adam and Eve are among the first to emerge.

The traditions differ, especially between east and west (see Resurrecting Easter). Some traditions imagine Jesus traveling to the lost tribes of Israel, including those in the Americas (The Book of Mormon).

But the scriptural accounts are, on the whole, quiet when it comes to Saturday. For the followers of Jesus, of course, Saturday was the Sabbath day. They were mourning. Saturday, for them, is a day of grief.

Story

Contributed by Kristen

When they woke up on Saturday, the disciples remembered. They remembered how the very earth had seemed to weep when Jesus died. How the flowers hid their faces, and the trees bowed in grief, and the earth shook as though in pain. They got out of their beds, slowly, slowly, and they gathered together. This was the Sabbath day, and they needed each other. Their hearts were heavy. They knelt, and Mary prayed aloud. 

O God, how can we understand? O God, our Lord is gone. God, did Rome really win? What can we do now? Jesus gave us the bread and the water, and he said that by eating we were entering into his journey and becoming part of him, but now we feel so very alone. God of the lonely and lost, be with us now. We still have hope. We still believe. This cannot be the end of the kin-dom. Heavenly Father, show us the way.

They got up, and they took each other’s hands. “What do we do now?” Peter said.

Mary looked around at the little house, and at the tired disciples. There was bread, a loaf Ruth had prepared, sitting on the table.

“We eat,” said Mary. “And we rest. It is the Sabbath.”

“And,” said Salome, “we wait.”

Activity

Watch this video created by Emma

Poem

Compiled by Caroline

Prayer for Holy Saturday

from the Common Prayer for Children and Families

We speak few words this day that is hollow, 

this day that sighs with one great sorrow. 

We sit in the garden next to the tomb

knowing that soon it will be a womb. Amen. 

Song

Art