On Holy Saturday we enter into a divine mystery. The God of the universe has chosen to die for us. The one who holds all creation is himself held in the tomb. The Church herself feels empty. In keeping with an ancient tradition, the church refrains from celebrating the Eucharist until the night of Easter. If you have doubted the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, walk into a church this morning and sit for a few minutes, and you will feel the absence of the Eucharistic Lord. What does this stillness or quietness mean? God became human and chose to die for us so that we could live a life of freedom in him. He descended into hell so that we would no longer be bound by darkness, sin and death. St Paul says, all of us baptised into Christ, have been buried with Jesus into death (Rom 6:3). In this nothingness, anticipating his resurrection we are given the promise of new life. In the emptiness, surrendering our lives to Jesus, crucifying our flesh onto the cross and dying to our selfish ways we receive newness of life. Together with the Blessed Mother let us wait in joyful hope for the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord.

Prayer: Abba Father, as we have been buried with Christ in baptism, help us to crucify negative thoughts and sinful ways on to that Cross. Amen.