The Truth About Darkness

A Reflection on the Gospel for April 14th, 2019:
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

​Luke 22.66 – 23.49 (shorter version)

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought Jesus to their council. They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” Jesus replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” Jesus said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Christ, a king.”

Then Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.” But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.” When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see Jesus perform some sign. Herod questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer.

The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”

Now Pilate was obliged to release someone for them at the festival. Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us.” (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”

But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

As they led Jesus away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the Cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.

A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with Jesus. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing.

And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”

The soldiers also mocked Jesus, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

Having said this, he breathed his last.

When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts.

But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

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The midday sun is beautiful, it is the height of warmth and illumination. I liken its warmth to the feeling of being loved, and see illumination as truth. Barely a shadow exists when the sun shines directly upon me, but with the slightest move out of alignment with it, long shadows are cast and darkness ensues.

As I prayed with the Passion, I reflected on the elements of darkness and light within it. Even in His darkest hours, Jesus, the Light, was perfect innocence. He spoke not a word nor performed any deed in sin. In the midst of the darkness besieging Him, Jesus unified and healed. He mended the relationship between Herod and Pilate, and restored the soldier’s wounded ear. He solicited forgiveness for the men who taunted, beat, and then ultimately, killed Him. He offered hope to those who wept for Him and to the repentant criminal on the cross beside Him.

Though there were some who courageously carried the light of Christ alongside Him, they were merely occasional stars in a blanket of darkness. It pains me to say it, but my own actions often more closely align with the darkness; the oppression responsible for the great persecution of my Lord.

In the darkness of greed Judas betrayed Jesus—sold his friend and saviour to Darkness himself. How many times have I chosen affluence over generosity?

In the darkness of night the Roman Soldiers apprehended Him; out of the darkness of envy and fear, they rejected Him. How has my envy and fear stifled my ability to be grateful for the gifts God has given others, and to trust in the good plans He has for my life?

In the darkness of anger, Peter cut off the ear of a soldier; out of the darkness of his pride and selfishness, he denied any association with Jesus. How often have I hidden my faith in order to blend in with the crowd?

"The ultimate sacrifice of Perfect Innocence had to take place to compensate for all these deeds I do in the dark—for all the temptations I succumb to each day."

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The ultimate sacrifice of Perfect Innocence had to take place to compensate for all these deeds I do in the dark—for all the temptations I succumb to each day. As I sat with this uncomfortable truth, I soon found myself belting out Elton John’s song, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me. One line in particular jumped out at me:

“But these cuts I have… they need love… to help them heal”

My cuts—the brokenness that cowers in the deep, dark corners of my heart, can only be healed by Love Himself. And we all have these cuts, these wounds in need of healing so that we don’t continue to harm the Body of Christ out of the pain they stir up within us. So then, collectively, as the Body of Christ, how do we heal? We heal by stepping out of the darkness and into the Light—by aligning ourselves with the Son, allowing Him to illuminate the truth and receiving the warmth of His love.

Lord Jesus, I am deeply sorry.

Lori MacDonald

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