Silence. As Joseph and his helpers lower the body of Jesus from its tree on Calvary, carrying it over to the stone slab where it will be lain preparatory to his entombment, as they then help to convey it into the newly offered tomb of Joseph nearby, hand hewn in the rock of the hillside above the city, they speak not a word except whispers, perhaps, of what needs to be done. Then they walk away.
It will be days, and nights, before they recover. They do not expect anything. Except morbid corruption, and possibly rage. For their Lord and our Savior is gone. What we make of this...
It was Thomas of the "doubt" who said, let us go with him, that we may die with him. He had no expectations, when they went to the tomb of Lazarus, that anything would happen to them in Judea but arrest, punishment, torture, and death. And so it proved - for Jesus. And so much more.
In the midst of nothing, when nobody moved, no one spoke, no sound but an errant bird or two, the sighing through the trees of an inordinate wind, that God spoke the word that is silence. Let there be...
And there was new life. Aborning in the stillness. We will not know what it means until it happens.
To us. But we can wait - and pray. And prayer may lead us to a sense of self that is new, that is ready, that can participate in the fullness of new life. Life renewed.
This is the day of sorrow fulfilled and of joy anticipated. And tonight ...
What will be happening, in the midst of the silence of this night, this night no less holy than 24 Dec.?
Something we cannot anticipate, we cannot wait for, that is the promise of God from before all ages. That we do not understand.
Wait for it. Wait.
In the silence.
Peace.
Eaſter Even.
The Collect.
It will be days, and nights, before they recover. They do not expect anything. Except morbid corruption, and possibly rage. For their Lord and our Savior is gone. What we make of this...
It was Thomas of the "doubt" who said, let us go with him, that we may die with him. He had no expectations, when they went to the tomb of Lazarus, that anything would happen to them in Judea but arrest, punishment, torture, and death. And so it proved - for Jesus. And so much more.
In the midst of nothing, when nobody moved, no one spoke, no sound but an errant bird or two, the sighing through the trees of an inordinate wind, that God spoke the word that is silence. Let there be...
And there was new life. Aborning in the stillness. We will not know what it means until it happens.
To us. But we can wait - and pray. And prayer may lead us to a sense of self that is new, that is ready, that can participate in the fullness of new life. Life renewed.
This is the day of sorrow fulfilled and of joy anticipated. And tonight ...
What will be happening, in the midst of the silence of this night, this night no less holy than 24 Dec.?
Something we cannot anticipate, we cannot wait for, that is the promise of God from before all ages. That we do not understand.
Wait for it. Wait.
In the silence.
Peace.
***
The Book of Common Prayer (1662):Eaſter Even.
The Collect.
GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son, our Saviour Jesus Chriſt; so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections, we may be buried with him; and that through the grave and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection, for his merits who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, thy Son Jesus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle. 1 S. PET. 3. 17. The Gospel. S. MATTH. 27. 57.
The Great Vigil of Easter : Revised Common Lectionary
At The Liturgy of the Word
Genesis 1:1-2:4a [The Story of Creation]Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 [The Flood]
Genesis 22:1-18 [Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac]
Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 [Israel's deliverance at the Red Sea]
Isaiah 55:1-11 [Salvation offered freely to all]
Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 [Learn wisdom and live]
Ezekiel 36:24-28 [A new heart and a new spirit]
Ezekiel 37:1-14 [The valley of dry bones]
Zephaniah 3:14-20 [The gathering of God's people]
At The Eucharist
Romans 6:3-11Psalm 114
Matthew 28:1-10
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