A village lay by the seacoast, on low-lying land. Most of the villagers had fled when they received warning of a great storm approaching, seeking shelter inland on higher ground. Only three men remained to try to protect the community.
As the storm grew nearer, bringing destruction and death, the three realized that they would have to leave. Hastening up the narrow road away from the village, they rounded a bend to find a massive fallen tree completely blocking the path. The dense undergrowth on either side made it impossible to go around, and the tangle of branches blocked any way under.
“This is foolish,” said the first man. “We were safer back in the village.” And he turned and headed back down the road—into the teeth of the storm.
The second said, “I can get over it.” He hauled himself up through the tangle of rain-soaked branches, and then leaped ahead and down. Catching his foot on a branch, he tumbled head-first onto the road, mortally injured.
The third man heard his friend scream as he fell, and then looked back down the road to where the first had gone. He knew then that neither route offered safety. Desperately, he crawled under the tree, finding a space among the branches, where he waited out the storm, safe in the shelter of the tree’s embrace.
A tree lies across our path: we call it the cross. We can neither avoid it nor ignore it, but must embrace it. It stands in our path reminding us constantly that the way to eternal life lies through the gates of death. Jesus has gone there before us, laying down his life as the fulfillment of what he came to accomplish.
And he said,
“It is finished.”
Death has done its worst. We grieve, and so we may weep.
Our grief may also be expressed in anger, but let us not act out of that anger, seeking to lay blame and to lash out in revenge. Let us rather stand before the cross, and share in Jesus’ sorrow. There on the cross, Jesus weeps for us, as we weep for him. There on the cross, Jesus claims the victory for himself and for all God’s people.
In his crucifixion—his lifting up from the earth—Jesus has drawn all people to himself. Out of what seems to be death and defeat, Jesus has won victory and life.
From the cross, Jesus reaches out to embrace all who suffer—and who is there in this world who does not suffer?
Come to
and stand with the one who stands with all humanity in our sorrow, our pain, our suffering—
in all our losses.
Come to
and find shelter from the storm.
Come to
and share in Christ’s victory.
