Holy Saturday: Women Who Wait, Juntas.

Luke 23:55-56

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment

The disciples are notably absent in this passage. They might have been grieving privately or maybe even hiding, afraid for their lives. We don’t know for sure, but we know they were absent when the time for Jesus’ burial arrangements came. 

In the hours of crisis, it is often the Peters who have sworn loyalty to Jesus with big gestures and fullness of self-confidence that disappoint, and it is the secret and quiet followers of the Master (like Joseph, Nicodemus, and the women) that do not hesitate to serve Him in love — at whatever the cost.” -  Geldenhuys

These women who had followed Jesus and witnessed his deeds and death showed up juntas (together). They hurried home, and like Mary of Bethany just a few days prior, they took spices and fragrance to anoint Jesus. They found Him worthy, still. I imagine tears must have mixed with their offering, much like Mary’s did earlier that week. Their offering was distinct because it was communal. They are described as the women who followed Jesus together. Then, they prepared their offering together. For them, these tears flowed out of shared gratitude and grief, communal worship, and communal waiting.

And then, they rested. With a posture of obedience, they rested in the tension of both pain and promise, heartache and hope. Because resting, even when our hearts are wrestling, can be worship, too. What a gift that we don’t have to do this alone.