"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he said this, he breathed his last."
Luke 23:44-46
I was asked to help with the Good Friday Services at our Church this week and was blessed because it caused me to stop in the middle of my busy and chaotic life and really reflect on the events that happened on that horrible, beautiful day over 2,000 years ago. I wrote a dialogue that Hannah will read tonight; the dialogue is written from the perspective of a 13-year-old girl who witnesses the crucifixion of Jesus. In order to write it I had to put myself there, imagining what it would have been like to have actually seen the events with my own eyes. I wanted to share with you what I feel that perspective would have been like.
I was standing there, trying to fight against the press of the mob, just a young girl trying to see what had everyone in such an uproar. There was angry shouting and such a huge commotion I had to find out what was happening. It was hard for me to see what was going on so I pushed my way through the throng of people, and finally found myself at the front of the crowd. Immediately I regretted the curiosity that brought me face to face with the horrific sight of three men hanging from three crosses. I had never witnessed a crucifixion in the 13 years of my life & I prayed that I’d never ever witness one again. It was a horrible sight to behold; but there was something about the three men hanging there that had me riveted to my spot, unable to move regardless of how much I really wanted to turn and run from the sight.
The shouting was coming from the criminal on the far right; he was yelling & hurling insults at the man who hung in the middle. “Aren’t you supposed to be the Christ?” He yelled, “Well then save yourself! Save us if you are able!” Then the criminal on the far left cried out “Don’t you fear God? You and I are here because we committed the crimes that we’ve been accused of. We are justly punished, for we are getting what our sins deserve. But this man? He’s done nothing wrong!” Then this criminal looked at the man hanging in the middle and said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
I gasped. This was Him, the One that everyone had been speaking of. The One who traveled over the countryside, preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God. The man who was rumored to perform miracles and have a following of disciples that made the Roman government nervous. It didn’t appear that he had any followers today. He seemed to be alone. I looked up into the pain filled yet gentle eyes as he answered the criminal on his right. “I answer you truthfully, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Close to the cross where this man Jesus hung stood three women and one man. It looked as if these were the only ones who remained of his faithful followers. I heard the whisperings around me revealing that the three women were his mother, Mary, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. They were on their knees before Him, crying in anguish at the pain and torture their Lord was suffering. The pain and despair that they were facing was so tangible that I felt it in my own soul. Jesus looked down with soft gentle eyes at these four people whom He obviously loved. He said to Mary, His mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” He then looked at the disciple with the affection of a brother and told him “Here is your mother.” He spoke it so quietly that if I hadn’t been right there at the front of the crowd I would have missed His words. The man bent over and helped Mary to her feet, wrapping his arms around her lovingly. I could tell from that moment that this disciple would take Mary into his home and care for her as his own mother.
My eyes turned from this heart-breaking scene back to the eyes of this poor, wretched man who had been battered and bruised beyond recognition. Suddenly the sky went completely dark, even though it was the middle of the day. I could hear terror and confusion in the voices of those around me. From somewhere far behind me I heard someone yell something about the curtain in the temple being torn in two. And then I heard Jesus call out with a loud and clear voice, “Father, into your hand I commit my spirit.” And then he breathed his last breath and was gone.
On this Good Friday, think about what it would have been like for Jesus' followers who watched as their leader, teacher and friend was hanging and dying on that cross. For them all that they had hoped for and believed to be true would soon be buried in a tomb. They didn't understand that the sun disappeared and everything turned dark because for three hours all of creation seemed to be mourning the tragedy of the death of Jesus. They couldn't comprehend that the temple curtain tearing in two meant that there was no longer any seperation between them and God, nothing to keep them from approaching the Most Holy One. The only thing they knew up to this point was the cross, they had no knowledge that in two days there would be a resurrection. And what about us? Do we truly see past Good Friday to Easter Sunday? Do we realize that Jesus hung on that cross, not because of any sin He had committed, but because of every sin that every human being has ever or ever will commit? Jesus paid it all for you and for me in order that we could experience life in it's fullness, life everlasting. Today we feel the burden of the cross, but soon we will be able to sing the Hallelujah of Sunday.
