"The firmament, the earth, failed for sorrow in their Nature in the time of Christ's dying. For it belongeth naturally to their property to know Him for their God, in whom all their virtue standeth: when He failed, then behoved it needs to them, because of kindness [between them], to fail with Him, as much as they might, for sorrow of His pains."
Julian of Norwich (Ch. 18)
When Jesus who is God the source of all creation dies on the cross, all creation shudders with death. The sky goes dark as the Light of the World hangs dying. Creation hangs its collective head in sorrow as the beautiful, loving, tender-hearted, gentle Savior willingly offers Himself to us and for us and breathes His last. And all creation stands in awe at such love that He shows, even to those who killed Him, and how He considers them innocent children who 'don't know what they are doing.' Who can imagine such love, that unconditionally opens His arms to embrace us, no matter what we do, even to the point of killing Him? Even if we kill Him, He holds nothing against us. What kind of love is this? The cross was such a turning point because now we know that He is all love and forgiveness, all gentleness and compassion, all reconciliation and embrace! This is the love we have only ever dreamed about, a love that accepts us no matter what, even when we do the most unacceptable thing imaginable - killing our God. This is a love with not a trace of judgment, not a trace of anger, not a trace of retribution. This is a love we can believe in, trust in, hope in, live in forever. This is the love of God for us!
"It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining....Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.' When He had said this, He breathed His last."
Luke 23:44-46 (NIV)
A Prayer: Thank You for showing us at the cross what unconditional love is!