Saturday, March 30
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment. –Luke 23:50-56
The women did what they could. They watched to be sure their beloved teacher’s body was treated with respect. They prepared spices and ointments. Then they rested, because it was the sabbath.
We do what we can. We work hard, because we have heard God’s call to be instruments of hope in our homes, in our communities, in our world. Do we also hear God’s call to take sabbath, to rest?
Sometimes we need to work to bring hope to fruition. Sometimes we need to stop and rest, to wait for hope to ripen.
God of creation, help us listen to your call to rest and wait. Amen.