FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
(Part 97)
DEATH AND LIFE
Holy Saturday
April 3, 2021
Today’s readings:
Genesis 1:1-2:2
Psalm 104:1-35
Romans 6:3-11
Mark 16:1-7
Yesterday Jesus died. Tomorrow he rises from the dead and lives. “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here.” (Mk 16:6). Today we think of death and life. Death and life are opposites but are inter-related. They are two sides of the same coin. Death is associated with the negative and life with the positive. But death can be and ultimately is positive, while life, lived wrongly in this world, can be negative.
Death is associated with darkness and nothingness. One who dies moves from light to darkness, from the light of day to the darkness of the tomb. And so it was with creation. Before God created everything, there was nothing. There was “darkness over the abyss” and “then God said: Let there be light, and there was light.” (Gn 1:2b,3). Further, God created “every kind of living creature” (Gn 1:24a), including man. From nothing came life. The earth then teemed with life. From nothingness, darkness and silence came the vibrance and diversity of life in the world. “How varied are your works, Lord! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (Ps 104:24).
Now Jesus, God Himself who created the world, died, was buried and lay in the darkness of the tomb. The disciples thought they would no longer see him. But the angel told the women, “He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.” (Mk 16:7). Jesus who died lives.
What does all this mean for us? We are baptized Christians. That means life and death. “Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Rom 6:3). By baptism we are freed from death which is original sin, and assume new life in Christ. “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.” (Rom 6:4).
We have new life through baptism, but we need to live that life for Christ, so as not to fall back into death which is sin. Jesus already won salvation for us on the cross, paying the price for our sins. “We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.” (Rom 6:6). In Jesus we look to death and life. “As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God.” (Rom 6:10).
We are to follow in the footsteps of our Lord. Yesterday we accompanied him on his passion, crucifixion and death. Tomorrow, we know he will live again. It was sin, our sin, that sent Jesus to the cross. He had to die, so that we may live. We, especially our sinful self, died with him. Such death is a good thing, and leads to true life. “If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” (Rom 6:8).
Today, the day in between the Lord’s death and life, we reflect on our own life. We will eventually die, but if we live for Christ, that death leads to life eternal. “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” (Rom 6:5). Jesus’ own rising from the dead is our assurance. “Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 6:11).
Oh, if only all the peoples that God created, and especially those who consider themselves Christians, would truly understand what transpires these three momentous days, if only they would understand what Jesus has done for them, if only they would apply what they learn to their lives in the here and now, then God’s intent in creation will come to pass. “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.” (Gn 1:31a). Darkness, sin and death will be replaced by light, grace and life, and the world will be the blessed place God intended for it to be. “May sinners vanish from the earth, and the wicked be no more.” (Ps 104:35a).
“Bless the Lord, my soul! Hallelujah!” (Ps 104:35b).
