Meditation for Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday

Mary Mother of God,

receiving the dead body

of Jesus Christ your Son

taken down from the cross

and laid in your arms,

receive us,

to whom He had given His life,

and lay us with Him

and in Him

upon Your sinless heart.

We are sinners,

but save us from the despondency

and despair.

Save us from morbidity

which kills the soul.

Save us from dwelling on the past.

Take our heads into your hands

and turn them gently

to look upon the light of God.

Let us feel the warmth and radiance

of that healing sun,

although we are still too weak

to bear the blaze of its glory.

By the dead body of Christ

laid in your arms,

save us from the death of sin.

Ask our Heavenly Father,

whose will is your will

to restore us to life,

to Christ's life in our souls,

so that in each one of us

you may see your only child,

the Child Jesus,

and give us the heaven

of your tender love.

By the passion

and death

of your only Son,

give us His life.

Make us new,

give us the trust of children,

give us the childhood of Christ.

Grant to us,

Virgin Mother,

a new heaven and a new earth,

because we see with His eyes,

hear with His ears,

work with His hands,

walk on His feet,

trust with His trust

in His Heavenly Father,

and love with His heart.

~ Caryll Houselander

~ excerpted from Magnificat