Saturday

Followers of Jesus call the week before Easter Sunday "Holy Week." Depending on what tradition a person follows, every day of this week can have some meaning attached to it. Thursday commemorates Jesus' last meal before his execution, far as we know. Friday acknowledges the execution itself. Sunday is the day that Jesus-followers make the ridiculous, subversive claim that Jesus overpowered all earthly powers and his own death.

So, today is Saturday. What do we do with Saturday?!?

It's kind of a nothing day. Jesus death has happened and nothing that hints at his rising has taken place. What was that first Saturday like?

In some ways, Saturday is kind of a decision day. Most people in Jerusalem just went back to life as they knew it, after the brief fuss over Jesus' trial, punishment, and death ended. Even those who heard Jesus predict all that had happened pretty much gave up. And when the rumor went around that Jesus wasn't in his temporary burial place, only a few bought the unlikely story. Each Saturday before Easter is a decision day. I can decide to just go on with life as is. Even if I end up in a worship service tomorrow morning (out of guilt, duty, or the desire to see what everyone else is wearing for Spring), I'll just put in my time. "Jesus is risen...yeah, yeah - whatever." And I'll go home and have a nice dinner and maybe mow the lawn. Or, I can decide that if Jesus really pulled off the completely unexpected, then Jesus might just pull of the completely unexpected in me and in all the world. And, if the latter is what I decide, then nothing will be the same from this Easter on.

I wonder what I'll do? The Saturday before Easter...maybe a decision day. I'll see you around the next bend in the river...I guess.