Day 40 of Lent Saturday April 19th 2025
Matthew 27: 57-66 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Day 40 of Lent – Trust and Promises
Holy Saturday invites us into a sacred stillness, a day of waiting and contemplation. The chaos of Good Friday has passed, and the joy of Easter has not yet arrived. This in-between time calls us to sit with the silence, to trust in God’s promises, even when the outcome seems uncertain.
As Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, the disciples were gripped by fear and doubt. Yet, in the silence of the grave, God was at work, preparing the way for the glorious resurrection. Holy Saturday teaches us the power of patience and faith during seasons of waiting in our own lives. It reminds us that even when all seems lost, God is faithful and present, working behind the scenes for our good.
Today, take time to reflect on the areas of your life where you may feel stuck, uncertain, or in need of hope. Offer these moments of waiting to God, trusting that His plan is unfolding, even in the silence. Use this day to pray, meditate, and prepare your heart for the joy and renewal of Easter morning.
Prayer: Lord, on this Holy Saturday, help me to rest in Your presence and trust in Your promises. Teach me to embrace the stillness and to find hope in the waiting. Prepare my heart to celebrate the victory of the resurrection. Amen.