A reflection on the Weave's Easter Celebrations

Account by Maria from Norwich

This year what stood out in my experience of the Easter Triduum was my understanding of Holy Saturday in a new light.

Previously it had been more of an interval day to me, a filler between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I hadn’t really considered it as significant in itself.

This year, however, I was following the Weave’s offline retreat. Before beginning the Lectio, the retreat booklet recommended spending a few minutes in silence. In this silence, my understanding grew.

I began to consider how on Holy Saturday the Apostles were so close to the joy and glory of Easter Sunday. Yet all that they could see at that point was the suffering and death which had just passed.

In many ways, we all find ourselves in a Holy Saturday sort of existence at the moment. Often made unhappy by the fallout of Covid-19 but, crucially, moving closer to the renewal, joy and new hope of Easter Sunday. And, unlike the Apostles who had yet to witness Jesus’ resurrection, we are blessed with the knowledge of how miraculously God can heal any painful situation. I was reminded of this at the Easter Vigil when the church which we’d entered in darkness was finally lit up for Easter Sunday!

I’m sure that many of us feel the keen frustration, worry and sadness of yet another lockdown dragging on, I know I do! But if I take away anything from this year’s Triduum it will be a sense of solidarity with the Apostles of Holy Saturday, and the joyful hope of our coming Easter Sunday!