Waiting for Hope’s Return
Saturday April 3, 2021
Created by Nicky Guttierrez
Matthew 27:57–66 (NIV)
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The Harrowing of Hell
Our Lord and Death stood before
the dark gates of Hell fashioned
of smoking glass — held firm by
bricks of basalt. Death smiled
with the palest of teeth, he
smiled. “Tell me lord, do you
like your new residence?” He
stretched out his hands. The dark gates
opened revealing that place —
Hell. Death pranced into his lair
as a king — as a lemur.
“Come now, you are my captive,
slave, and prize. Satan and the
hosts of Pandemonium
shall be quite pleased by your show.
A parade fit for a king!”
Death laughed and danced while Christ
and the souls of Hell watched him.
Jesus did not stir nor move
however, emotions stormed
out of him — anger, sadness,
and peace — peace. Death turned to him,
pointing to his crown saying
“Come, I am the lord down here,
prostrate before me.” Jesus
looked at him and said “No.” Death
stepped back, but before he said
anything else Jesus said
“Prostrate.” It was gentle yet
firm. Death cackled and then said
nothing, for his face kissed the
ground. He could not move nor stir.
The gates fell, lying in front
of death as a cross. Death was
bounded; his keys now lay in
Christ’s hands. Then Jesus trampled
the gates of hell and trampled
the now humbled death, standing
upon him as a footstool.
Thus, Christ trampled death by death.
The souls in hell stared in awe
or in fear of the Lord Christ.
Christ cried out in a loud voice
shouting to all the dead in
hell, “I AM the Good Shepherd!
I AM here for my sheep!” He
stepped down off of death, trampling
down hell; to those in the grave
he began to bestow life.
Devotion
The scripture shows that Jesus was laid in a tomb — the God-man was dead. Church tradition says that Jesus descended among the dead on Holy Saturday and freed those who were waiting for Him. The previous poem is my interpretation of Jesus’ glorious and triumphant entrance into Hell. We Christians over 2,000 years later can relate to our ancestors who were in the pit. They saw the hope of Christ and held onto that knowing Christ would return for them that their God would not abandon them. While we are like those who were waiting for Christ in the tomb, we probably relate more to the disciples. Even though we know Christ rose, #spoilers, the disciples didn’t put two and two together. They were scared and lost. They had lost hope. Many people today have lost hope. So much tragedy has happened in the last year alone that has shaken the world. But hope never lost us, hope is still here. The night may be long, but hope comes in the morning. We are waiting on hope’s return. How happy were the disciples when Jesus appeared to them saying “Do not be afraid.”? We must have patience, something I know I don’t always have, on Christ our hope. For He will return again for us for His bride — and we will be like those waiting in the grave and like the disciples when Christ returns. It reminds me of a Jewish poem that was etched into a wall during the Holocaust. I sang it for high school choir, and I will always remember it. “I believe in the sun. I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love. I believe in love even when I cannot feel it. I believe in God. I believe in God even when He is silent.” The night is long, but the sun is coming. Hope is coming. Just hold on and be patient. Amen
Haiku for you
Holy Saturday —
the roses
on your grave
Prayer
Good and gracious God, help us to find hope in this weary season. Amen.
