There is a quote attributed to Pope John Paul II, “We are an Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” While there is truth to that, I have never felt entirely comfortable with that idea, because much of our human experience doesn’t always feel like the joy of Easter Sunday.
Instead, I think we’re more of a Holy Saturday people.
I came across a well written article several years ago by Fr. James Martin, SJ that beautifully broke open this concept for me - and helped express what I had long wondered about waiting and how much of life is like the waiting of Holy Saturday.
Much of life involves times and seasons of waiting - just as the disciples waited during Holy Saturday, confused and wondering what would happen next.
Each of us is waiting for something. Waiting for the right job opportunity. Waiting for diagnosis or a positive pregnancy test. Waiting to meet the right life partner. Waiting for that difficult relationship to improve, or what next step to take. Waiting to get into a good school. Waiting for the polarization of our nation to simmer down. Waiting to see what the economy will do. Waiting for life to just get … better, feel easier, for that particular thing to happen.
Waiting is hard. It feels scary, sometimes even confusing. We are not in control, and the mere fact of not knowing what will happen next is the most agonizing.
Each of us is waiting for something. Like Thomas Merton, we may not see the road ahead of us, but we never wait alone.
God is ever present and near to us.
Let’s wait well - for whatever it is, knowing we wait with hope and promise.
When not working in healthcare or writing, you can find Patty getting stronger at CrossFit, reading good books, and loving on her godchildren, niece, and nephew. She loves deep conversations at the intersection of faith, culture and ministry and using the art of storytelling to connect to people's hearts. Follow her Instagram here.