People of Hope:
Last week, I shared the Bridges Transition Model which sees transition as a process of endings, a neutral zone, and then new beginnings. After two months of serving God and God’s people here at Esperanza, it seems we are in the neutral zone, that middle space between endings and new beginnings. Since the neutral zone is the most important part of transition and the space during the process of transition that makes transition successful, we will likely be here for a while. So, we can settle in.
I know it’s hard. We like to hurry to the finish line. Or, at least, I do.
The confusion, distress, and uncomfortability of the neutral zone is similar, perhaps, to the neutral zone of old.
After a good run of healing and teaching and miracles, Jesus is betrayed and arrested and crucified. Jesus dies. For all that the disciples know, Jesus’ death is the end—of their dreams, of this new way of life, certainly of Jesus’ life. Jesus’ death is the end. As 21st century Christians, we have always known that Jesus would rise from the dead, so maybe we have missed the stark end that Jesus’ death is. Jesus really dies. His body is put in a tomb. All the disciples flee. The end.
What happens next? Holy Saturday, the empty day of the Jewish sabbath, the day about which we hear nothing in the gospels. Presumably, all those who loved and followed Jesus are at home, deflated, despondant, despairing. Holy Saturday is so confusing, distressing, and uncomfortable. What happens next? Will the disciples be similarly crucified? Will the disciples continue to share the good news of Jesus even though he’s dead? Is the good news even true?
When I was in seminary, the father of one of my classmates died in his 50s after a brief illness, a devastating loss to my classmate, her family, and the congregation her father served as a pastor. My classmate is a quilter, so in her grieving process, she pieced together quilt squares of different shades of black. She hung the quilt in a seminary art show and entitled it “Holy Saturday.”
Easter comes, of course, but not until after Holy Saturday.
Holy Saturday is the neutral zone. Of course, it’s not fun. Of course, it’s confusing, distressing, and uncomfortable. But thanks be to God, we know Easter’s coming.
With love,
Pastor Sarah