And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Mark 27:50-54
“The tombs were opened and bodies were raised when one man in whom God was present without limit committed His spirit into His Father’s hands. Since this moment the universe is no longer what it was; nature has received another meaning; history is transformed and you and I are no more, and should not be anymore, what we were before.”- Paul Tillich
In this final essay before the resurrection, Tillich talks about nature’s reaction and submission to the death of Christ. We often think of how the Psalmist paints the earth as a picture of God’s glory. But the cross calls us to see the darkened sun and feel the trembling earth. May we join creation in its groaning, in its tired yet hopeful cry for renewal and restoration. As Tillich talks of the rooted foundation of the cross compared to the shaky foundations of earth I am reminded of a song by one of my favorite songwriters Rich Mullins, “If I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through, but if I can’t let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you.