How Holy is your Saturday?

April 4, 2015
Day 339

Easter weekend has always been very special to me, but never so much as when I was a vowed religious monk living in a monastery.  We had a very special Easter retreat every year from Thursday through Sunday, and each day had its own special meaning and collection of rituals.

Thursday was Holy Thursday, which meant the washing of the feet to remember Jesus's teaching to be servants to one another...and we also had tater tots at lunch!  Friday was Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross.  From 12 to 3, the time he was on the cross, we didn't speak a word to one another, not even during lunch, so when someone knocked over a drink or even just sneezed, you could always count on a comical glare across the table.  Sunday, of course, was Easter, the day for celebration and finally being able to say that word that rhymes with Bally Sue Hah.

Saturday though?  Saturday was the day in the middle.  It was normal, it was quiet, and it was filled with expectation for the beautiful candlelight vigil ushering in Easter later that night.  For the most part though, not much happened on Saturday.  It was actually kind of boring.

We all have these Holy Saturdays in our life, days and times that feel so "in between", so "in the meantime".  Not much is going on, and while our thoughts may stray to what's coming next, we don't always know what to do in the here and now. 

So might I suggest, if you're open to it, that you just take a few minutes today to close your eyes without laying down, and just put yourself 100% in this moment right now.  You don't have to make this religious or even spiritual if that makes you uncomfortable.  There are no labels or agendas here; just quiet yourself for at least three minutes today...do it as soon as you're done reading this if you don't think you'll make yourself do it later.

Just close your eyes and clear your mind, focusing on each breath in and each breath out, as if they're waves appearing and disappearing from the shore of your soul.  When we still our bodies and minds as much as possible, without thoughts of yesterday's troubles or tomorrow's concerns, we remind ourselves of the incredible power of right now.