Thought and Prayer for the Day
by
Rev. Dr. Gary Gannon

We find ourselves now at the time known as Passiontide. Traditionally, it is when we commemorate the suffering of Jesus Christ during the two weeks prior to Easter Sunday. Certain days during this period are more familiar to many of us – for example, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. But what about Holy Saturday – that day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday? I’ve been recently thinking about this question.

Holy Saturday marks the day Jesus lay in the tomb after his crucifixion. In that original pause between his death and resurrection, his disciples were apprehensive about what their future might bring and whether they could continue to have faith in the person they had been following for several years. These apostles were unsure whether to believe that Jesus would rise from the dead, as he said he would.

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, Oriental Orthodox (Coptic, Ethiopian, Syriac) and Moravian churches all observe Holy Saturday with various practices. In the Anglican tradition, this day (also called Easter Even or Low Saturday) is a time of transition and quiet anticipation. There is no celebration of the Eucharist during the daylight hours of Holy Saturday. It is a solemn time when we await the Resurrection of Jesus following his suffering and death on the cross on Good Friday. The church remains this day in a state of watchful waiting and prayer.

Many churches today offer an Easter Vigil after sunset on Holy Saturday. Congregations often gather around a fire outside a darkened church, from which the Easter (Paschal) candle is eventually lit and brought inside. This depiction of new life and light represents Jesus’s resurrection on the first Easter morning. Parishioners then light their own candles from this Easter candle to symbolise their own coming into new life as followers of Jesus.

I highly recommend to you, (1) Read Psalm 27 – (particularly v. 14) which in this year’s Lectionary is part of Evening Prayer on Holy Saturday; and (2) Watch the following YouTube video The World Holds Its Breath: An Easter Vigil message from Bishop Andrew Asbil, recorded by our own Bishop Andrew Asbil, of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto: .

Prayer
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
–The Anglican Compass

 

Taking on a role of leadership or ministry in a church can be exciting and a little daunting. When someone agrees to serve—whether on a committee, in worship, through outreach or teaching, or quietly behind the scenes—they step into something larger than themselves. There is the excitement of helping shape parish life, but also the challenge of giving up one’s time, collaborating with others, and trusting that even small or drawn-out efforts can have an impact.

As our recent Vestry (AGM) reminded us, in the Anglican tradition, ministry has never been the work of clergy alone. The church is the body of Christ, and every member has a role within it. When people offer their gifts—whether it’s organizing, singing, welcoming, fixing, planning, cooking, or simply making sure the coffee urns are on—the whole community flourishes. The life of the parish becomes more solid, more vibrant, and more capable of serving the world around it.

Stepping forward as a volunteer in churchland is a way of answering Jesus’ call. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus invited people to follow him. The disciples often found themselves drawn into incredibly meaningful work: feeding crowds; caring for the sick or marginalized; proclaiming Christ’s message; and building new communities of faith after Christ’s death and resurrection. (They also no doubt spent a good deal of time on seemingly minor tasks and routine logistics: fetch that donkey, make sure the upper room is booked, find out where the local well is, see if we can get a boat for Wednesday.)

Whether it’s major or minor work, that call continues for us, and it often arrives quietly—in the form of an invitation to help in some small way, perhaps where a new need has become apparent or perhaps where your own specific talents might be uniquely useful.

Most church members, when they say yes to such an invitation, also find that something personally significant happens. Church becomes not just a place they attend, but a community they help shape. How lovely and meaningful to deepen your connection within your church, with other parishioners, and with God, simply by becoming a little more involved. It doesn’t necessarily mean taking on a large or demanding role. It can be something quite small and time-limited. Even the smallest acts of service can be the doorway to deeper participation and connection. As we see with the original followers of Christ, saying yes (even if tentatively or doubting your suitability) can open unexpected paths.

At All Saints there are always opportunities to volunteer, whether briefly or longer term. You may read in the bulletin about an opening to be an egg buyer, candle bearer or an at-home baker. A warden or deacon might reach out to see if you could be a money counter, prayer leader, or an idea maker. Whatever the call might be, think about saying yes. If you’re not sure you’re ready or capable, that’s okay. Sometimes we just need to borrow a little courage and see what happens, in which case “Yes, for now” and “Yes, I’ll give it a try” are also good answers.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for blessing me with the opportunity to serve in Christ’s name. I know that the time I spend serving You and serving others is not in vain. I admit, sometimes it is easy to feel selfish with my time and with the gifts and resources that You have given me. But I know that those gifts, resources, and my life as a whole were never meant to be lived for myself and my own desires alone. … Help me to be a reflection of Christ, and not only to grow in love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, and goodness. But also to grow in faithfulness toward You and toward those with whom and for whom I volunteer in the church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Adapted from “A Prayer for Faithfulness” from 5 Prayers for Volunteers by So Very Blessed