Black Saturday: Time for reflection, joyful expectation
Published Apr 8, 2023 01:27 am
Black Saturday is traditionally observed as a special non-working holiday in the country.
But its significance is not as well-known or widely appreciated as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The solemnity of the two preceding days is lifted; the somber mood is replaced by a return to joviality and cheer.
But what really happened on the first Black Saturday?
According to St. Luke’s account: “This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” (Luke 23:52-56)
Black Saturday as the Vigil of Easter happens sans the fireworks and fanfare of New Year’s Eve. It is a time for quiet reflection. The words sabbatical and Sabbath from which Saturday and the Spanish Sabado is derived, is traced to the Greek word sabaton that, in turn, traces to the Hebrew word shabbāth, meaning “rest.” In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, the observance of a Sabbath is commanded by the Lord not only every seventh day, but also every seventh year and in the Sabbath year, they should not plant or grow crops but simply “let the land rest.”
The concept of resting for reflection is, therefore, an important aspect of Christian tradition.
It mirrors the rhythm and cycles of life. After a period of intense activity, there is need for a pause, for people to regain energy before returning to action. In sports, there is a halftime break, and provision for teams to call timeouts even in the heat of battle.
Aside from reflective respite, Black Saturday is also an occasion for joyful expectation.
The Resurrection is at the core of Christian faith that is affirmed in the Apostles’ Creed:
“I believe in Jesus Christ…Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried…He descended into Hell; the third day he rose again from the dead.”
On the third day from Good Friday — which is on Easter Sunday —he “rose again from the dead.” This is why the Resurrection is the first Glorious Mystery. The final declaration in the Creed affirms belief in “the resurrection of the body and life everlasting” — articles of faith that mirror the joyful expectation of Easter.
Beyond Easter, observing the duality of Black Saturday — resting for reflection and waiting in joyful expectation — would be a beneficial way of living as it fosters a caring attitude towards others, which is the essence of the Christian faith.
But its significance is not as well-known or widely appreciated as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The solemnity of the two preceding days is lifted; the somber mood is replaced by a return to joviality and cheer.
But what really happened on the first Black Saturday?
According to St. Luke’s account: “This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” (Luke 23:52-56)
Black Saturday as the Vigil of Easter happens sans the fireworks and fanfare of New Year’s Eve. It is a time for quiet reflection. The words sabbatical and Sabbath from which Saturday and the Spanish Sabado is derived, is traced to the Greek word sabaton that, in turn, traces to the Hebrew word shabbāth, meaning “rest.” In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, the observance of a Sabbath is commanded by the Lord not only every seventh day, but also every seventh year and in the Sabbath year, they should not plant or grow crops but simply “let the land rest.”
The concept of resting for reflection is, therefore, an important aspect of Christian tradition.
It mirrors the rhythm and cycles of life. After a period of intense activity, there is need for a pause, for people to regain energy before returning to action. In sports, there is a halftime break, and provision for teams to call timeouts even in the heat of battle.
Aside from reflective respite, Black Saturday is also an occasion for joyful expectation.
The Resurrection is at the core of Christian faith that is affirmed in the Apostles’ Creed:
“I believe in Jesus Christ…Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried…He descended into Hell; the third day he rose again from the dead.”
On the third day from Good Friday — which is on Easter Sunday —he “rose again from the dead.” This is why the Resurrection is the first Glorious Mystery. The final declaration in the Creed affirms belief in “the resurrection of the body and life everlasting” — articles of faith that mirror the joyful expectation of Easter.
Beyond Easter, observing the duality of Black Saturday — resting for reflection and waiting in joyful expectation — would be a beneficial way of living as it fosters a caring attitude towards others, which is the essence of the Christian faith.