Mark 15:33-39 NRSVue
33When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” 36And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”,
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Reflection on Mark 15:33-39
Inspiration from 2024-03-24 Daily Prayer
Jesus, who is God himself, and totally one with the Father, entered so fully into our humanity that he even had the experience of feeling abandoned by God, just as we often do, when we are suffering and in a dark place. We can draw comfort from this, that the further we feel from God, the closer we come to Jesus, who is ALWAYS with us, even in the darkest of places.
“The curtain of the temple was torn in two” – this signified something much greater than the literal event of the curtain in the Jewish temple tearing in two – it signified the veil between heaven and earth being torn in two, and that Jesus’ death opened heaven for each one of us, and has given us access to the Father. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross did this “once for all”, and therefore, has made it possible for us to have an intimate relationship with God, both now, and in the life to come, for eternity.
Further reflection
The death of Jesus reminds us that, as we will die, he has died. He has breathed his last as all will do. The resurrection reminds us that as he has risen, we too will rise. The one who was the son of God on earth, and son of Mary, is in eternity the Son of God. As he is, we shall be.