Staying with the Empty Tomb!

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Holy Saturday

Today we reflect on the empty tomb.

For Christians, the empty tomb symbolizes hope. 

Yes indeed, the forces of evil dominated for a while. They nailed Jesus to the cross. They locked Jesus in the tomb. 

Yes, there was death. But it was not final. The empty tomb is a sign that our lives do not end but are only transformed. 

Yes, there was Jesus’ grave. But with a sign that ‘He is not here’ (Mt 28:6). The women who went to Jesus’ grave were asked, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’ (Lk 25:5).

Yes, Jesus was kept in the tomb, but one that he borrowed for just three days. The tomb could not imprison him forever.

Jesus’ story did not end at the cross; nor did it end in the grave. It continues despite what seemed like the worst of tragedies. 

The empty tomb is a sign that there is no death or defeat to the truth that Jesus symbolized. 

With the empty tomb making our hope of Christ’s resurrection real, we silently await the victorious rising of Jesus. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar