The Day We Forget

On Palm Sunday, Jesus road into Jerusalem. He was betrayed on Thursday and crucified on Friday. On Sunday, He rose from the grave.

But what about Saturday?

On Saturday, Jesus was dead, the disciples were scattered, having gone into hiding, and everyone who loved Jesus stood in mourning. We don’t like to talk about this day, because it isn’t pretty. It’s a day of uncertainty, of fear. What did Jesus mean when He said He would rise again? Was He really dead, descended to Hades for the rest of all time? What would happen to the disciples? Would they all be caught and executed as well?

It’s easy to stand in solemnity on Good Friday and celebrate on Easter, but it’s much harder to stand in mournful sorrowfulness over the reality that on Saturday, Jesus descended into Hell so we could be free of the sin that condemns us to that wretched place. 

The price paid for our sins was much more than just a physical death. No, for the first time, Christ called out to God, and God did no answer. God turned His face from His son, and let Christ pay the full price – spiritual death- for our sins.

Let us not forget the Saturday of Holy Week, for we should be truly thankful for not just Good Friday and Easter but this day as well.