For Holy Saturday

Ask

The Harrowing of Hell is celebrated today on Holy Saturday. The day when tradition affirms that Jesus descended into hell, showing us that there is no place you can go where God will not find you and lead you home. All the scars that cover us, all the wounds that we have inflicted on others, all the pain that you carry—don’t matter in the end. All our dirt will be cleansed, our incisions healed, our grief wiped away. Nobody who wants to go with him gets left behind. Reflect on that truth. What does the depth of Holy Saturday mean to you today?

Reflect

The Harrowing of Hell is often depicted in art. Look up the icon “Descent to Hell,” written by Duccio Di Buoninsegna in 1308-11. Notice how Jesus is pulling Adam by the hand. Reflect on this painting. What else do you see? What does this painting stir up in you?

Pray

God, come find me in the places I’m a little lost and don’t know it. Help me in my honest ques-tioning, my earnest longings, and lead me home. Amen.