The Day the Earth Stood Still

     The striking images of well known places around the world that are empty or nearly so, devoid of crowds and the normal activity of life, are chilling.  To see empty churches, and an empty Saint Peter Square and Basilica with a handful of faithful joining the Holy Father in these Liturgies of the Sacred Triduum, is disconcerting.  To hear of the sufferings of so many worldwide through illness or economic hardships, added to the never-ending world at war, rips at our hearts.

     Today our Triduum takes us to the hill of Calvary, not to a mountaintop wrapped in glory nor to a city jubilant with pilgrims for a feast nor to the quiet intimacy of family gathered for a meal.  On this mountain, on this hill of sacrifice, in the midst of a fragile and needy world stands a Cross, an image of death, which, by the One sacrificed on that Cross, draws us from death and despair to the truth of Eternal Life.

     I was born and raised in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.  Outside of town, on Summit Mountain the Methodist church has a training camp at Jumonville Glen.  On the top of the mountain stands a large Cross which everyone from miles around can see and reflect upon.
This first image is of the Cross on a winter's day ... and the second is a striking image of the place of the Cross in the midst of the world.

    On Golgotha those many years ago, the world stood still.  The universe paused in its existence to witness the end of everything the world held important.  This was literally "the end of the world".  No longer would/could things be the same.  A death came and touched our life in order that a Life beyond imagining would bring us to the beauty of Truth and the Glory of God as He had desired for us.

     Pilate asked: "What is truth?"  He knew of power, influence, Caesars, politics, loyalty, all the things held important by the world ... but he did not know truth because he did not recognize Jesus.  In his dwelling among men he would not look upon Jesus Crucified and therefore would still hunger for truth.

     Even those who were given the promise of God's love through the Law and the prophets, the religious leaders of the people, cried out to Pilate: "We have no king but Caesar."  Blinded to the truth, they were blinded to the reality of life that God had called them to treasure.

     On that day the earth stood still.  In our day the world is in a "pause mode" because of a pandemic.  In the depth of our hearts on this Good Friday, there must be a moment to stand still, to pause and pray and to encourage each other when we gaze upon the Cross of Christ: "Come, let us worship!"