If we’re not paying attention, we have a tendency to think of Holy Saturday as a quiet interlude between the sorrow of Good Friday and the glory of Easter Sunday – the only day of the year when there is no liturgy.

Hallelujah! We’re free to shop for Easter and take the kids to an Easter egg hunt or hide their Easter baskets.  We’re tempted to start the Easter rejoicing a little early.

But today, I’m trying to imagine what the first Holy Saturday was like for Mary.

Naturally, she was overwhelmed with sadness but how did she struggle through the actual day?  Did her family stay with her to comfort her? Did she visit the tomb or was she too exhausted? Did the disciples stand watch to protect her from the enemies of Jesus? How fearful were they? Did some simply disappear? What did they say to each other?

All of them, including Mary, had heard Jesus promise that he would rise but were they so overwhelmed with horror that they still believed this? Hoped, maybe, but believed? Surely “doubting Thomas” wasn’t the only one to question this incredible prophecy.

This brings us to how to spend Holy Saturday today as we ponder both what those closest to Jesus endured and  the depth of our own faith in times of loss. . If we skip over the sadness, uncertainty and hope of Holy Saturday, we are missing an important part of this season.

Spend a little time standing watch with Mary and drawing close to her in conclusion of the Lenten season. This will make the alleluias on Sunday even sweeter.