Holy Saturday, an oft-overlooked moment in Holy Week, represents a familiar human experience: emptiness. Between Good Friday and Easter, Jesus might be engaging in battle with Satan in a cosmic struggle between good and evil, life and death. Meanwhile, we human beings sigh sighs too deep for words. 

 

It is from this place of emptiness that we at Andover Newton acknowledge the pain and sadness that comes as a result of racism. We particularly pray this Holy Saturday for those in the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities who have both suffered and witnessed a surge in hatred directed toward them. 

 

Call it scapegoating, call it fear; at the root of racist violence is evil. We at Andover Newton prayerfully strive to eradicate racism through educating religious leaders and providing ministerial leadership resources that fight hatred with love. Today, however, we refrain from striving and acknowledge the emptiness, alongside all our siblings in Christ.