The Death that Opens

Wednesday, August 2, 2006 -- Week of Proper 12

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 977)
Psalm 72 (morning) // 119:73-96 (evening)
Judges 3:12-30
Acts 1:1-14
Matthew 27:45-54

We have today Mathew's account of Jesus' death. He speaks those words of utter abandonment, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" It is a reminder to every person who has experienced themselves as desperately alone and even abandoned by God that, in truth, God is with us. Even the experience of being abandoned by God is in God's heart.

The words are from the opening of Psalm 22, which speaks of the awful suffering of one who is in a dire, life-threatening situation. Yet that psalm ends with a universal redemption. "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow before him." Even "all who sleep in the earth" will join in worship of God, according to the psalm. A vision of the whole world united in praise of God, who is present to all.

So in Matthew's account, when Jesus breathes his last (or gives up his spirit), immediately the "curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom," opening up the Holy of Holies to the entire world. On the outside of the curtain was pictured the zodiac, the pattern of the stars of heaven. Just as when Jesus was baptized, so now, the heavens open. The curtain between humanity and the holy, between heaven and earth is torn in Christ's death. Tombs open and the dead are raised.

Our attention shifts a few weeks forward to Acts 1. Jesus has risen. He has appeared to his disciples. They know him to be alive. They know that death is conquered. In this account from Luke, before his departure Jesus promises to the disciples the gift of "power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." They (we) will be his witnesses "to the ends of the earth."

In Christ, God is revealed in power, breaking down all of the barriers, political and religious, opening to the other nations and to all people the intimacy of God's presence with us, even through and beyond death. All that threatens or separates is overcome. We are one with God and with all humanity in a universal redemption. What can threaten? What can separate? Nothing.

Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR