Pastor's Corner: Holy Saturday

As we recently marked one year of the pandemic, we are now in the phase that reminds me of Holy Saturday - the day before Easter's resurrection celebration that is shadowed by enduring grief and the discomfort of a still uncertain future. Holy Saturday is the day after. It's a day of silence, stillness and waiting. The tomb has been made secure and the only thing certain is that things have changed and something has been lost.

Still fresh in our minds are those who grieve their loved ones, those who are afflicted by the virus, those who are indescribably lonely, those whose dreams have been shattered, those who have endured division and hatred. Our grief is part of the struggle to relearn how to be fully human in the face of loss. We wonder if the tomb is the end or if there is life after loss.

But we also celebrate the light that we have seen in the darkness. We hold the anticipation of seeing our loved ones in care facilities, celebrating milestones, gathering around the table for holiday meals, receiving the vaccine, hugging our family and friends. It is a season in which, through our mourning, we dare to ask the question, what have we learned in a year of pandemic living? Our answers might be the exact thing that help us step into resurrection's new day. This invitation to new life is richer and more profound than just returning to the "old normal."

I started a conversation on Facebook a couple weeks ago and here are some of the things we have collectively learned: that people are what matter, that we need face-to-face connection and human touch, that we are dependent on the kindness of others. We have learned that we can navigate uncertainty and adapt to change better than we thought. We have learned that it may look normal but it won't feel normal right away. As believers, we have learned that we should always be thinking of news ways to do mission and ministry, be making space in our lives to talk and listen to God, and that we are all called to be Salt and Light through our words and actions. We have learned how much rituals of gathering together mean to us, particular in worship and the comradery of making music together; we have learned that it is important to find ways to be together even if we can't be in person. We have learned to be good stewards of our bodies by spending time outdoors and exercising consistently, and good stewards of our resources by learning that we do not need as much 'stuff' as we thought. We have learned that we can let go of some of our personal maintenance habits that took so much time and energy. We have learned that some otherwise very intelligent people will refuse to make sacrifices in order to protect those around them; we have also learned that science and facts will be questioned. Some of us have learned that we can do without things like eating at restaurants while others have learned that they really don't love cooking! We have learned to enjoy the simple things, like a cup of brewed coffee, and that we don't need fancy trips away to enjoy time with our family. We have learned that some positions and practices can be questioned in a healthy way. We have learned that we should take time to be grateful and take nothing for granted. Lastly, we have learned that we were exhausted before the pandemic too.

We are a Resurrection people called by God to live a Resurrection life. Our grief and pain are real, but even when our lives take us through the darkest valleys, we know that we do not live there forever and that we are never alone. In other words, under the conditions of the pandemic, the church knows how to witness to a person's suffering and to God's loving presence. We trust in the Christ who brings life to what was once dead. In this Holy Saturday space, we hold on the tip of our tongues the good news that's coming: 'Christ is Risen, Christ is Risen Indeed!' We live our days knowing that Christ has opened the way to new life, to be lived in fullness.

So let us not deny the resurrection in our lives but rather go boldly into the world, knowing that in this resurrection life, we are forgiven and redeemed people as we share the news of God's grace in word and action with the world around us.

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Rev Maggie Lewis

Presbyterian Church of Chinook & First Presbyterian Church Havre