Good Friday EveningApril 2, 2010
+ Jesus tonight lies buried in a rock. What seems, at first, to be the ultimate defeat—he has been sealed up and hidden—is more than we can imagine.
For buried as he is in that rock—he has truly become the new foundation of the world.
This is not some cold, impersonal reality. By lying there in death—as we all will do one day—Jesus gives life and warmth to what is, by its nature darkness and coldness. The light of the world has descended into that stone tomb and dwells there, not extinguished, but ready to blaze forth. And by doing so, he vanquishes death from our midst. He shatters that fear of death that lies in the stone foundations of our hearts. By lying there in the deep grave, he forces us to face what fear most and then takes it away from us.
For the moment, with our aumbries and tabernacles empty of the flesh and blood of the sacramental Jesus, the very earth has become that tabernacle. The very earth that Jesus trod and was lifted up over on his cross earlier today has become the tabernacle of his glorious Presence.
On this evening which seems to be an evening of ultimate failure, all we can do is kneel down in silent wonder and know that form that cold rock, warm and glorious life is about rush out and flood the world.
+ Jesus tonight lies buried in a rock. What seems, at first, to be the ultimate defeat—he has been sealed up and hidden—is more than we can imagine.
For buried as he is in that rock—he has truly become the new foundation of the world.
This is not some cold, impersonal reality. By lying there in death—as we all will do one day—Jesus gives life and warmth to what is, by its nature darkness and coldness. The light of the world has descended into that stone tomb and dwells there, not extinguished, but ready to blaze forth. And by doing so, he vanquishes death from our midst. He shatters that fear of death that lies in the stone foundations of our hearts. By lying there in the deep grave, he forces us to face what fear most and then takes it away from us.
For the moment, with our aumbries and tabernacles empty of the flesh and blood of the sacramental Jesus, the very earth has become that tabernacle. The very earth that Jesus trod and was lifted up over on his cross earlier today has become the tabernacle of his glorious Presence.
On this evening which seems to be an evening of ultimate failure, all we can do is kneel down in silent wonder and know that form that cold rock, warm and glorious life is about rush out and flood the world.
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