Mark 15:39. “And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son Of God!”
Scripture Emphasis: Revelation 3:20.” Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If Anyone hears my voice and opens the door. I will come in and eat with him and he with Me.”
My desire in this hour is to show you the transforming power of the risen Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is not recollections from antiquity, an event long since passed; instead, it is participation in the event happening in this present and will continue to happen.
The following meditation will require your imagination to fully comprehend this mystery. Robert Louis Stevenson suggests that reading Scripture with imagination will startle and move anyone who makes an effort.
Permit yourself to be transported back in time and place to a Roman barracks situated in the heart of Jerusalem, the Holy City. Inside the barracks, there is a luxury suite overlooking the more modest homes of the city’s population. Here are the temporary living quarters of General Antonio Proclurus when away from ‘home.’
In as far as possible, I wish to assume the role and character of the Centurion supervising the Roman occupation of Judea and’ consequently, the Crucifixion of Jesus at Golgotha. According to some records of The Passion Story, this Centurion is considered unsympathetic and ruthless.
Unbeknown to the Centurion, we observe him from the dark shadows of his elegant quarters. The time is early Sunday morning, following the execution of Jesus on the preceding Friday.
General Proclurus is a strong muscular man who looks older than his thirty-three years. Proclurus is oblivious to anything out of the ordinary happening in the Garden of Joseph of Arimathea, where the body of Jesus lies. However, General Proclurus does notice some movement of figures in the pale gray of the early morning. Even though there is a definite uneasiness in his gait as the general returns, again and again, to look through the large casement window towards “The Hill,” There, three crosses still stand silhouetted against the sky as a grim reminder of Friday’s ignominious event. Finally, with halting steps, the Centurion moves behind a large oak desk, all the while stealing uneasy glances toward the Garden; he slowly sits and begins to write:
” To my dearest Maria,
my love, and my darling wife, and to Felix, my
son, and
my hope for the future:
I cannot wait any longer to tell you about all the bizarre happenings here in Jerusalem these last couple of days. There has been ongoing unrest in this outpost of our great Empire for a long time. This tension has its roots in a complicated relationship between local radical, religious groups and our authorities.
But recently, the turmoil took on a different twist.
The focus now is a fight between the locals themselves and not so much with our Imperial presence. There is one of the Jews
who identified Himself as their long-awaited Messiah. Others rejected this claim, called Him an imposter, and demanded His death. Pontious Pilate, our trusted governor, could find no reason to impose the death penalty on Him, but the opposing team demanded that Pilate should crucify Him for treason. And finally, Pilate gave in to the demands of the angry mob and sentenced him to death. His name was Jesus! Two thieves, whose names I don’t remember, were put to death alongside Him. Of course, as part of my command, I was carrying out orders like a loyal servant of our gracious emperor. “Three more rebels for you to nail down, Antonio,” someone in the central office jokingly instructs in the execution order.
But, Maria, the look which that man Jesus gave me made me feel that I was being born for the second time. I mean not of the flesh but the spirit. No longer could I be a calloused, uncaring man; instead, I felt like a pure, innocent and trusting child again.
Maria, do you recall the day you said, “Antonio, you are ideally suited for this job? There is no need for you to wear that steel armour because you wear it naturally all the time”. I know you were only joking with me, Maria, but that man Jesus pierced my steel armour on Friday, and for the first time in years, I felt alive, like a real man. I felt the miracle of fresh air filling my lungs. And to realize that I had to crucify Him!
Later in the morning, when it was all over, I stood guard over the three crosses. I heard Him say:” I am thirsty”! And then Maria, I broke with all protocol! And I gave Him water to drink. And the most significant moment of my entire life broke in upon me! It came with the sound of a thousand silver trumpets. He said, “Thank you, Antonio”! Quietly I tried to hide my tears from the others. How did He know my name? I watched Him dying just as I was coming to life. Sadly, I was taking
his life while he was giving me his! I told everyone standing around that day, I now tell everybody in the whole world: “Surely, this Man was The Son Of God.”
My love, Maria, grows more profound than ever, and for our precious son Felix.
With tender love
Antonio.”
Antonio rises from his chair, approaches the casement window and throws it wide open. He looks through the golden rays of the rising sun towards the Garden. Antonio blinks in disbelief. A figure, unnoticed until this moment, is approaching his barracks; At this early hour? Undoubtedly, it is a bad omen. Surely, somebody from the
guard was coming to inform me of a new disturbance! Or could it possibly be some royal emissary from headquarters? Antonio mused in bewilderment. In the golden haze of the morning sun, Antonio saw the white robe the approaching figure wears. It looks hauntingly familiar. And, what is the strange-looking thing adorning his head? As Antonio floats down the stairs in breathless wonder, he questions with
a half-exposed hope: Jesus? Jesus? Jesus?”
And then, Just as he was about to throw the door wide open, there was a knock upon it. The silence that follows is static! No words are necessary; their exchanged looks say everything. And God saw His New Creation in the dawning glory of that Easter Morning, and God saw that it was good! This very day He is yearning still for new creations. ” Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If Anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
Hymn: Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
A PRAYER TO FOLLOW THIS MEDITATION
O Risen Christ, Take us by the hand and lift us out of our tombs of half beliefs and mouldering doubts. Set us aflame with a kindred glow of the rising sun on this Easter Day so that into this world, all people everywhere may know that a renewed force to be reckoned with has come.
Place the empty tomb nearby to receive
Our smug complacency that turns a deaf ear to pleas for compassion and understanding;
Our broken promises, destroying hope and making dreams impossible;
Our domesticated faith ensures that daring to be different is on a tight leash, leaving the impression that nothing very significant happened in The Garden on Easter morn.
Raise brave women and men who give the Risen Christ the space to live in this world in the offering of their spirits. May they confess with boldness,” Surely this man is the Son of God !” Then shall we each, in His strength, make this earth “His Kingdom” of justice and love and peace. In the Name of Our Risen Lord, we pray, Amen.
Hymn: Hallelujah Chorus
Editorial Notes
1. Here and throughout the text of this meditation, the quotations from the Holy Bible are from the New International Translation, Unless otherwise noted in the text.
2 . Photo: The Arches National Park, Utah, USA.