In the Hush of Easter
The light shining through the window above the apse of the co-cathedral dims, as we get closer to the hour of vigil. The arch of the apse, encompassing the crucifix and the altar, highlights the sacrifice that Christ made for us on Good Friday, as if it were the tomb, holding our dead Lord. He is represented on the cross, as a reminder of the immense sacrifice that He made for us sinners and that it is through the cross that we are redeemed. In the loft behind me, the choir quietly practices singing the Alleluia, prefiguring the glorious resurrection that will be celebrated soon. My eyes see Good Friday, my ears hear Easter Sunday, and I sit in between, in the last minutes of Holy Saturday. At this time, 2000 years ago, before Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb in the morning, the miracle of our salvation occurs, in the hush of Easter.
On the first eve of Holy Saturday, the world was silent, still without their Savior. Jesus had died, seemingly leaving His followers alone. Imagine what the apostles, the disciples, and Mary the Mother of God were feeling in this void. Jesus, with whom they had journeyed for years, had just been brutally murdered and was taken from their world. Imagine how distraught the apostles felt witnessing the death of their teacher; think of the insecurity of the disciples of Jesus, when they heard the news of His death; see our Lady, her heart pierced by the loss of her son, but consoled by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Envision how long the time from 3pm on Good Friday through the evening of Holy Saturday must have felt. After following the Lord and being filled with such joy day after day, the absence of Him must have been crushing. Time probably felt doubled or tripled, as they were consumed with thoughts of confusion and woe.
But, the Lord was true to His word. “And on the third day…” In the silence, out of view of the world, without anyone knowing, He broke through the gates of hell and opened heaven to us. But, despite hearing Jesus’ prophecy about His passion, death, and resurrection, the apostles were still clueless about what Jesus would go through. They were horrified when He was arrested; they hid when He underwent His passion; and they did not understand when the tomb was found empty. We can say, “how did they not comprehend His plan, after having lived with Him for so long?” But, aren’t we the same? Do we not often fail to see God working in our lives or doubt Him when our prayers seem to go unanswered? Do we not frequently miss the signs of God’s blessings in our lives?
The reality is that God works in the silence, in the ordinary. He comes in the gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12) and the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:35). He seeks to be welcomed in and enter humbly into our lives. If we are willing and aware of Him, we can open the door and let Him in. But, when our lives get too busy, when we fill our plates too full with worldly pursuits, or when we distract ourselves with too much social media and personal pleasures, the whisper of the Lord, who wants to encounter us in our day to day lives, is drowned out.
However, if we listen to His voice, He has the ability to completely transform our lives and the world. The same Jesus who healed the blind, cured the leper, and forgave the sinner wants to do the same for you. He wants to walk with you, to know how you’re doing, to know what delights You and saddens you, to experience your joys and sufferings with you. He wants to heal you. All we have to do is acknowledge His presence and invite Him to accompany us on our earthly journey.
So, although this season is a time to jubilantly celebrate the Resurrection, let us remember the hush of Easter, when in the silence, while no one was aware and all were aching from Jesus’ physical absence, Christ secured our salvation. Let us retreat from the world during the day, taking recourse in the quiet of our souls, to encounter our living God. Let us remember that He is alive and always working in the world, no matter how broken and destitute it seems. Let us seek to find Him more in our neighbors, our enemies, our blessings, and our sufferings. And, let us live like people of Easter, with humble joy and charity, rooted in our relationship with the One who has redeemed us.
