Low In The Grave He Lay
Preaching
The Life Of Christ And The Death Of A Loved One
Crafting The Funeral Homily
A Funeral Homily For Holy Saturday
The past two days are two of the most solemn days in the Christian year. For yesterday, on Good Friday, Christians commemorated Jesus' death. Later that evening, Jesus' body was taken down from the cross, anointed with oil, and wrapped in linen. Then it was placed in the tomb, and a large rock rolled across to seal it.
Today, Holy Saturday, is the day that Jesus ''lay low in the grave.'' Jesus' disciples were heartbroken. Their friend was gone: dead. No more miracles. No more healings. No more stories. No more sharing meals together.
The Jesus they knew would not walk again. They would not hear his voice. They had enjoyed the Last Supper with him two nights before, but now they will never eat with him again.
Holy Saturday is a solemn, grave occasion. In our churches, the altars are stripped bare. Crosses are draped in black. Today is the one day of the year that there is no celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It is true, death had done its worst: ''Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Lord.''
Today N.'s body lies low in the grave. Today, Holy Saturday, our brother [sister] N., his [her] body having been cared for and dressed, will be laid in a tomb.
And we, his [her] friends and family, are full of grief and sorrow. We will miss our friend, his [her] voice, his [her] being with us, his [her] breaking bread with us.
Now, if that were the end of the story, it would be a sad story indeed. But Holy Saturday is not the last word.
The final word is not ''low in the grave Jesus lay.'' The final word is ''up from the grave he arose.''
''The powers of death may have done their worst, but Christ their legions has dispersed.'' The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the final word; Good Friday and Holy Saturday are only the prelude to God's decisive action of Easter Day.
The Christian message is this: that resurrection is stronger than the grave; and God's love is stronger than death. And that is why today, even though we are still in Lent, our liturgy, the Burial Office, is not a Lenten service. It is an unmistakable Easter service. We put away the purple and black altar hangings and vestments and replace them with Easter white. We once again say our prayers with alleluias, double alleluias, and triple alleluias - Easter acclamations of triumph and resurrection.
Because Jesus was raised from the dead, death is not the final word for him, or for us. Jesus Christ destroyed death on Easter day, and brought life and immortality. And we who turn to Jesus Christ and put our whole trust in his grace and love will also be raised with him to eternal life.
The promise of God, writes Paul, is that we who have been buried with him in baptism will also live with Christ in the power of his resurrection.
Jesus lay low in the grave on Holy Saturday. But this same Jesus had said, ''The hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.'' The final word, the good news, is that Jesus arose. And we who hear his voice will live with him in the power of his resurrection.
Let us pray: O God, creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this Holy Saturday, so may we await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life, who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Collect for Holy Saturday, BCP p. 283)
The past two days are two of the most solemn days in the Christian year. For yesterday, on Good Friday, Christians commemorated Jesus' death. Later that evening, Jesus' body was taken down from the cross, anointed with oil, and wrapped in linen. Then it was placed in the tomb, and a large rock rolled across to seal it.
Today, Holy Saturday, is the day that Jesus ''lay low in the grave.'' Jesus' disciples were heartbroken. Their friend was gone: dead. No more miracles. No more healings. No more stories. No more sharing meals together.
The Jesus they knew would not walk again. They would not hear his voice. They had enjoyed the Last Supper with him two nights before, but now they will never eat with him again.
Holy Saturday is a solemn, grave occasion. In our churches, the altars are stripped bare. Crosses are draped in black. Today is the one day of the year that there is no celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It is true, death had done its worst: ''Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Lord.''
Today N.'s body lies low in the grave. Today, Holy Saturday, our brother [sister] N., his [her] body having been cared for and dressed, will be laid in a tomb.
And we, his [her] friends and family, are full of grief and sorrow. We will miss our friend, his [her] voice, his [her] being with us, his [her] breaking bread with us.
Now, if that were the end of the story, it would be a sad story indeed. But Holy Saturday is not the last word.
The final word is not ''low in the grave Jesus lay.'' The final word is ''up from the grave he arose.''
''The powers of death may have done their worst, but Christ their legions has dispersed.'' The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the final word; Good Friday and Holy Saturday are only the prelude to God's decisive action of Easter Day.
The Christian message is this: that resurrection is stronger than the grave; and God's love is stronger than death. And that is why today, even though we are still in Lent, our liturgy, the Burial Office, is not a Lenten service. It is an unmistakable Easter service. We put away the purple and black altar hangings and vestments and replace them with Easter white. We once again say our prayers with alleluias, double alleluias, and triple alleluias - Easter acclamations of triumph and resurrection.
Because Jesus was raised from the dead, death is not the final word for him, or for us. Jesus Christ destroyed death on Easter day, and brought life and immortality. And we who turn to Jesus Christ and put our whole trust in his grace and love will also be raised with him to eternal life.
The promise of God, writes Paul, is that we who have been buried with him in baptism will also live with Christ in the power of his resurrection.
Jesus lay low in the grave on Holy Saturday. But this same Jesus had said, ''The hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.'' The final word, the good news, is that Jesus arose. And we who hear his voice will live with him in the power of his resurrection.
Let us pray: O God, creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this Holy Saturday, so may we await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life, who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Collect for Holy Saturday, BCP p. 283)
