Today the world is in mourning as for an only son (Zechariah 12:10).
This moving antiphon at Morning Prayer for Holy Saturday, quoted from Zechariah, is one we carry with us in our hearts for most of the day today.
No matter the sky, we are dark within
emptied-out lonely
how do daffodils still burst
gold against green or
blue songbirds sing from the bough
on this no-day without sunrise—
only sunsetting the whole long
day against gray hills
chill of the tomb is ice at the bone
before today we slipped in
ahead of stone rolled across
while lifeless body lies
still as any house at dawn after dying
the slain Son quiet
as a swan at midnight on
the lonely pond
we kneel we weep we
catch our breath
choke on our prayers
for having brought our God
to this to this O to this
but see, no breath of accusation
now or ever comes
that we may know these kiss these wounds
these jewels mined by love beyond
what sense can grasp and so we bury
our own crushing wounds in His
now sweetened by such grace
that there is only healing
for our own by Him—
now turning to returning to
the life we never knew to live
we meet the Mother
arms outstretched to wash away
the need to mourn our debt
now paid by Love’s redeeming gift.
