Holy Saturday 2026 - Morning Prayer - Jesus descended into Hell

 

In the Apostle’s Creed we profess that after Christ was crucified, died and buried, “He descended into Hell.” Christ was not condemned to Hell, like the rest of humanity. Rather he descended; he went willingly and with purpose.

The Catechism says, “Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.
From the time of Adam, all who died, whether evil or righteous were deprived of the vision of God. And Christ went to those who souls who awaited their Savior. The ancient homily for Holy Saturday puts it this way: “he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve…the Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory.”

I remember my first holy Saturday as a seminarian. I was home for the triduum, and I went to pray in my home parish church. And I brought with me my breviary, the liturgy of the hours, and for the first time encountering the famous patristic reading describing Jesus descending into hell preaching to Adam, the first man, who has been asleep in death from time immemorial.

Listen to these words, spoken by Christ: ‘I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

In order to prepare for easter, Jesus descended to the depths of hell, to those who were distant from God, maybe we reach out today to someone towards whom we’ve grown distant, wish them a happy easter and invite them to church tomorrow. The Lord no doubt wants to use us to knock on the doors of the hearts of the fallen away. We do well, certainly to pray for those who reject the invitation to return to Church.

We quietly and prayerfully wait for easter today, but we also recognize that though he was in the tomb, Christ was still at work announcing the Gospel, which is our easter mission. May these last few hours before Easter, prepare us well for the great celebration and our share in the great mission for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Holy Saturday 2024 - Morning Prayer - He will raise us up

Eight centuries before Christ, the kingdom of Israel was in political, social, and moral decline. Israel had turned away from worshiping the true God and instead embraced the pagan practices of neighboring nations, particularly the worship of Baal. Israel also allowed injustice to run rampant; the nation was marked by oppression of the poor, corruption among the leaders, and a lack of justice in the courts. 

In response to Israel’s idolatry and injustice, God sent the prophet Hosea to call Israel to repentance.  Hosea urged Israel to turn back to God and forsake their idolatry and sinful ways. Hosea emphasized God's love and desire to restore his relationship with his people, but also made it clear that continued rebellion would lead to punishment and exile. 

And even though Israel would be afflicted with these consequences of unfaithfulness, Hosea, like many of the prophets, prophecies about God’s promises to save his people. And this morning we heard of that promise: In their affliction, they shall look for me: “Come let us return to the Lord, For it is he who has rent, but he will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence.”

What a poignant passage, particularly in light of the commemoration of the Lord’s passion yesterday, on Good Friday. 

In Hosea's time, the Israelites rejected God's message delivered through the prophets, persistently turning to idolatry and disobedience. Similarly, on Good Friday, Jesus, who embodied God's message of love and salvation, was rejected by the religious leaders and the people who cried out for his crucifixion.

The Israel of Hosea's day was characterized by social injustice, corruption, and a lack of moral integrity. Similarly, Jesus faced an unjust trial, false accusations, and a corrupt political system that ultimately led to his wrongful execution.

Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, Hosea's message emphasizes God's persistent love and desire to redeem his people. The promise of restoration and healing in the passage of Hosea this morning foreshadows God's ultimate plan of redemption through Christ. Jesus' death on Good Friday and his subsequent resurrection on Easter Sunday represent the fulfillment of God's plan to save and restore humanity.

For notice, the passage doesn’t just speak of one man being raised on the third day, it says, he will raise US up. Easter, yes, of course, celebrates Christ’s resurrection. But also, the new life and relationship with God, that we fallen sinners, are able to have with God, through Christ, as members of His Body, the Church.

And yet, we still have a few hours of prayerful waiting before we celebrate Easter.  We do well to continue to ponder the events of Good Friday, our own sinfulness for which Christ died to redeem us, and also those hope-filled prophecies throughout the scripture of restoration, renewal, new life, transformation, that comes through the resurrection of Christ the Lord, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.