Between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday

Some more liturgically-minded Christians refer to the day between Good Friday and Resurrection
Sunday as Holy Saturday. On one side is the day when the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was cru-
cified for the forgiveness of our sins. On the other side is the day when God raised the crucified
Savior from death to glorious new creation life. In between is Saturday, to some Holy Saturday. It
is a time when nothing seems to be happening; we do know that Jesus Christ died and was bur-
ied. I try to feel what those followers of Jesus felt that first Saturday after they had just witnessed
the long-expected Messiah's suffering and death on a Roman execution instrument. I can only im-
agine the devastation, dismay, and depression they were experiencing during that first Holy Satur-
day.

Even in this day and age, the Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is a day
characterized by darkness, silence, waiting, and inactivity. I have known God's Story for many
years now, but still all I can do on this day between two emotionally-laden days is sit and wait.
That's how I have felt the past year here in my home town in the States. Behind me is the visa
refusal and hopefully before me is my being granted a Minister of Religion visa to return to Scot-
land to minister at St. Fergus Parish Church. Ever since I received the visa refusal letter in March
of last year, I have been living through my own Holy Saturday between Good Friday and Resur-
rection Sunday. For the last twelve months I have not been experiencing feelings of devastation,
dismay, or depression. In no way does my journey even compare with Jesus' journey of passion,
suffering, and death. But still I experience my own period of silence, darkness, inactivity, and
waiting.

Yesterday I remembered Jesus' death on the Cross of Calvary. I know it's Saturday, but Sunday's coming! Even though I rest in God's Story, I still don't know how my own story will turn out. Noth-
ing is certain, especially when I am dealing with the Bureau of Immigration of the United Kingdom.
I have been royally blessed these past twelve months. I have submitted all my papers and paid all
the fees to the British Consulate in New York City. My visa application is in their hands. Now all
I can do is wait; there is nothing more I can do. All that I hear from God right now is silence. I do
not really know what God is up to. It feels to  me like Holy Saturday, the day between Good Friday
and Resurrection Sunday. But I know for certain that God is in control and that He is leading me.
To those of you who pray, I ask for your prayers.

Blessings to you and yours,