Daily Worship

Surely

Laura Digan April 15, 2022 0 3
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Matthew 27: 54 (NRSVA)

54 Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’

Surely he was the Son of God.

The words of the centurion who witnessed the death of Jesus. 

What made him say this? A man in authority who imposed the law of Rome. A tough man, who daily oversaw the capital punishment of criminals. A man, hardened to the brutality of death. A man of war, who was immune to the horrors humans inflicted upon others. As a Roman, this centurion worshiped many Gods. What did he see and hear at Jesus’ death that made him praise the one true God and ultimately question the authority of his superiors to say that the man he had just sent to death was innocent?

He would have supervised the whipping of Jesus. He will have seen his men strip Jesus of his clothes, mock him, spit on him. Then when Jesus hung on the cross, he saw and heard the jeering, the continual mocking, the dice game to divide his clothes. 

But in all that hate he also saw and heard love. 

When Jesus was at his weakest, dragging that cross up to the place called ‘The Skull,’ he told the women following not to weep. He saw that Jesus never got angry at those abusing them, instead he hears Jesus praying that the Father forgive them. 

The centurion saw and heard the words spoken by the repentant criminal and he heard Jesus promise that ‘today you will be in paradise with me.’ 

He witnessed the sky turn black and finally he heard the calm and strength with which Jesus gave up his life. And in that moment, having witnessed Jesus’ continual love for others, having witnessed Jesus’ strength and resolve, the centurion could see that Jesus was innocent, he was righteous. The qualities Romans admired above all others were courage and strength. By his courage and strength to die for the world’s sins, Jesus proved that he was the righteous one, and changed the heart of that Roman centurion. 

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus,

Today we remember your sacrificial love, a love that shone light into the darkness of the world.

We are truly thankful for the forgiveness and transformation your love offers us

Help us Lord to marvel at your endless grace. 

Amen.

Lent Disciplines

Spend five minutes today in silence. You don’t need to pray or think about anything specific, just be still. Try to calm your mind, and if it wanders gently bring it back to the idea of quiet.