Vacare Deo

 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid.  Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

  Luke23.54-56

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ² And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ³ They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?

Mark 16.1-3

Praying the Scriptures …

1. Open your mind and heart to God, praying that you might be open and attentive to anything God might want to say to you. Ask that your heart will be receptive and your will ready to obey. Read the passage through to remind yourself of the story.
2. Now use your imagination to set the scene as vividly as you can. Use as many of your senses as you can: what would you hear? what would you see? what would you smell? who is in the scene? what are they doing? what is in the background? what is the emotional atmosphere like? Take time to let the scene unfold.
3. Now let yourself become part of this scene. Without forcing anything, what are you drawn to in the story? Perhaps you particularly identify with one of the characters, and take that role. Perhaps you are a bystander, watching what is taking place. When you have found your place it is time to …
4. Using the biblical story, allow the action to be played in your imagination. Now that you are part of the scene, notice how you find yourself responding – your thoughts, actions and feelings.   Linger in the emptiness of loss, of endings, of broken dreams, … of Holy Saturday.
5. It may be that the story unfolds a little differently to the biblical account. Notice what happens, as it may be significant. Maybe a dialogue with one of the women will unfold.
6. When your imaginary journey through the story has come to an end, take time to think back over what happened and how you found yourself responding. It might be helpful to journal your reflections. Allow this to lead into prayer, as seems appropriate.