From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:45-46 NRSV
The curser begs words to populate the page. The obvious topic to write about is it’s Thursday at The Masters. Golfers and non-golfers worldwide will tune in to the all-day coverage over the next four days. The beautiful azaleas, pristine fairways, and lightning-fast greens of Augusta National captivate our hearts. I know I’ll be in front of the TV.
It’s Holy Week too. I wonder if we will give it as much attention as the Masters? How much time have you set aside to meditate on and remember the garden details, the betrayal, Pilate’s trial, the humiliating and excruciating cross, and the empty tomb?
At this point in the story (Thursday), Jesus has set his face toward the cross. In his humanity, his body felt every cut, every blow, and the agony of the nails. And then the darkness descended upon the earth for three hours…in the middle of the day. What were the bystanders feeling? What would you have felt?
Those who knew the Hebrew scriptures would have recognized that this wasn’t the first time God brought darkness at noon to the land. “On that day, says the Lord God, I will make the sun go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight (Amos 8:9).” The darkness on that day represented the Lord’s judgment on all the nations for acts of oppression and injustice. But God, in his infinite love, determined he would not destroy the house of Jacob.
For three hours, darkness hung over the cross. Jesus anguished in pain and took on God’s full judgment, including momentary abandonment from his Father- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Again, those who had ears to hear recognized King David’s opening line in a Psalm where David expresses his feelings of abandonment by God. David and Jesus don’t lose faith or fall into hopelessness in this intense anguish. Instead, both affirm that God is still their God and acknowledge that he is faithful and trustworthy.
Further into the Psalm, we read, “For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet – I can count all my bones – they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing, they cast lots (Psalm 22:16-18, ESV).”
Friends, God’s infinite love reappears, and Jesus willingly becomes the suffering servant who faces the darkness. He was pierced for our sins. He bore the agony of the grave and separation from God so we don’t have to.
Sunday is coming. A Masters champion will be crowned, and we will rejoice that the tomb is empty. But before we get there, let us remember the suffering that came first.
Here are some suggested readings to help us remember: Psalm 22, Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving us so much that you offered your son to take your judgment on our behalf. Draw our attention to your Word during these Holy days. Help us understand the suffering and the rejoicing.