Holy Saturday commemorates the day that Jesus Christ lay in the tomb after his death. It is the day after Good Friday and the day before Easter Sunday. It is also known as Easter Eve, Easter Even, Black Saturday, or the Saturday before Easter.

John didn’t know on that Friday what you and I now know. He didn’t know that Friday’s tragedy would be Sunday’s triumph. John would later confess that he “did not yet understand from the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead” (John 20:9).

That’s why what he did on Saturday is so important. We don’t know anything about this day; we have no passage to read, no knowledge to share. All we know is this: When Sunday came, John was still present. When Mary Magdalene came looking for him, she found him. Jesus was dead. The Master’s body was lifeless. John’s friend and future were buried. But John had not left. Why? Was he waiting for the resurrection? No. As far as he knew, the lips were forever silent and the hands forever still. He wasn’t expecting a Sunday surprise. Then why was he here?

You’d think he would have left. Who was to say that the men who crucified Christ wouldn’t come after him? The crowds were pleased with one crucifixion; the religious leaders might have called for more. Why didn’t John get out of town?

Perhaps the answer was pragmatic; perhaps he was taking care of Jesus’ mother. Or perhaps he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Could be he didn’t have any money or energy or direction … or all of the above. Or maybe he lingered because he loved Jesus.

To others, Jesus was a miracle worker. To others, Jesus was a master teacher. To others, Jesus was the hope of Israel. But to John, he was all of these and more. To John, Jesus was a friend. You don’t abandon a friend—not even when that friend is dead. John stayed close to Jesus. He had a habit of doing this. He was close to Jesus in the upper room. He was close to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was at the foot of the cross at the crucifixion, and he was a quick walk from the tomb at the burial. Did he understand Jesus? No. Was he glad Jesus did what he did? No. But did he leave Jesus? No. What about you? When you’re in John’s position, what do you do? When it’s Saturday in your life, how do you react? When you are somewhere between yesterday’s tragedy and tomorrow’s triumph, what do you do? Do you leave God, or do you linger near him?John chose to linger.

Good Friday

John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Good Friday is a solemn day of reflection on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, marking the crucifixion as an act of profound love and divine solidarity with human suffering. It calls for recognizing one’s personal role in that suffering, while finding hope, redemption, and a deeper relationship with God at the foot of the cross. 

Today we reflect on:

The Power of Love –  The cross represents the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus willingly giving his life, transforming a symbol of shame into one of divine victory.

Solidarity in Suffering – Jesus’ suffering—including physical pain, betrayal, and humiliation—proves that God intimately understands, shares, and suffers with humanity.

The Cost of Sin – Reflection often involves realizing that personal sins, selfishness, and indifference are the cause of the crucifixion, putting “blood on our hands” and necessitating Christ’s sacrifice.

The Triumph of Grace – Even in the darkness, Good Friday is viewed as “good” because it marks the opening of heaven and the final defeat of sin. 

Contemplative Prayer: Focusing on the last words of Jesus, such as “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit,” as a model for surrendering one’s own life struggles.

Silence and Stillness: Embracing the silence of the day, acknowledging the “darkness” before the joy of the resurrection. 

As you reflect, remember that this day is not about hopeless defeat, but the beginning of the journey toward the light of Easter. 

Maundy Thursday 

Command

Read John 13:1-17, 31-35

Holy Thursday is also called Maundy Thursday. “Maundy” is the Latin term for “Command.” The Palm Sunday Parade is over. The joyous Celebration is now just a memory. The Palms are gone and Jerusalem is quiet. Thursday night is remembered for Jesus washing his disciples feet, one last meal and his conversation with Peter about his denial. Today we are going to focus on the Command. Jesus tells us to love each other. This isn’t just lip service. He gets down on his knees, he pours water into a basin and begins washing His Disciples feet. This is the love He is talking about. Humble, lowly devotion. It’s not a glamorous love, it gives you nothing back. It is a costly love, it is a holy love. It is how we identify ourselves as followers of Christ. 

As we enter into the great three days of Christ’s Death and Resurrection, let us hear this last lesson about our identity as “Children of God”and “Followers of Christ.” People will know us by how we love each other and those who are lowly. People will see where our hearts and values are by how we fall to our knees and reach out in service to our neighbors. 

Our eternity is secured in heaven and our call is clear, “Love Each Other” is our command. 

Today reflect on how you can love others well.

Holy Wednesday 

The Two Sinners

Read Matthew 26:1-16

It’s hard to imagine a greater contrast between these two sinners: Judas Iscariot and Mary Magdalene. While Mary wept for her sins, and then lavished Jesus with her love, Judas complained of her extravagance, and then went to betray his Lord. Each fulfilling prophecy by their actions. 

Here we see the heart of Judas turning dark. Jesus is not going to be the Messiah that he had hoped for. He hoped for a King of Worldly Glory with all of its riches and honors. He pretends to be noble by saying the money Mary spent should have gone to the poor. But, Jesus knows Judas’s true desire is not for the poor but for himself. Judas is incapable of understanding the love that compelled Mary. Jesus knew the difference between true worship with false worship. Money was what Judas worshiped. Jesus was who Mary worshipped. Jesus brought Mary’s act of love into the brightest light by saying, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done what she could; she has done a beautiful thing to me.” Perfect love is at work, it does everything it can. And where it does, the Lord himself adds to it far more than we can imagine or understand. He accepts Mary’s loving deed as the anointing of his holy body for its burial and resurrection, and declares that this will be proclaimed by every tongue as long as the world exists. 

Today we are halfway through Holy Week. Consider today the acts and intentions of the “Two Sinners.” Mary’s act of Worship and Judas being filled with greed and hatred which led to his betrayal hours later. Are we so filled with worship that we would be willing to do it at any cost? Are we willing to give our money, our time, our energy to love our God and others well? How are we “spending” our lives?

Holy Tuesday
The Prediction/Repentance
Matthew 21:23-25:4

Tuesday of Holy Week is often called “Busy Tuesday” because Jesus did a lot of speaking. The morning of Tuesday he spoke to his disciples. Many of his parables are about repentance. He also had some conversations with the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were trying to trap Jesus and expose him as a hoax. But Jesus kept pointing to the truth that he was the Messiah. His evening was spent talking about the End Times and the End of the Earth and that He was going to come back again and for his followers to be prepared at all times. He truly was busy.
As you read through Jesus’s Tuesday pay attention to his selfless, wondrous love. Consider how he spent his last days offering his loving forgiveness to those who were orchestrating his murder.
Reflect on how, because of Jesus, we have the forgiveness we desperately need to face our Judgment Day with confidence and consider areas in your own heart that need transformation and reflect of the parables about “being ready” for His return. Are we ready for his return?

Holy Week Devotions:  Monday – The Cleansing

Matthew 21:12

“Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.”

Matthew 21:12 NLT

One of the first things Jesus did when he entered Jerusalem was go to the temple and clean it out. Just like he does when he enters a persons life. He goes straight to the temple, to the things we worship above him. He cleans out whatever is not Gods plan. This process is sanctification which simply put, it is us getting rid of anything that distracts us from God. Jesus knows what stands between us and God. It could be sin, prejudice or grudges, old hurts, feelings of inferiority, unforgiveness, etc. Whatever brings destruction in our lives and the lives of others must go.

Consider today what in your life needs to be transformed. What is Jesus asking you to submit to His transformational love today.