The Centurion and the Guards at the Cross

 

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Then the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50–54 ESV).

 

Have you ever seen something that was so amazing you were tempted to think it couldn’t be real? With the capability of Artificial Intelligence and its near universal availability, that is a question that often pops to mind. Sometimes things seem so astonishing that it is hard to believe. However, once I determine it is real, I feel compelled to tell others about it. Such is the case of the NASA mission of Artemis II. The picture I’ve attached today was taken from inside the space capsule as Christina Koch views Earth from Orion. It is the moment when Artemis II mission specialist Koch looks at Earth from the window of the Orion spacecraft on its way to the Moon during the Artemis II mission. At the time, Christina was already farther away than any woman has ever been from our planet. To think of it and to see it is simply astonishing.

 

This is what Matthew describes in our reading today. The Centurion and the guards assigned to execute Jesus and the two thieves that day witnessed something so astonishing, they were compelled to declare exactly who Jesus was. That was the reaction of the centurion and the guards who watched over Jesus’ execution. They saw everything that happened to him. And after everything had happened—after Jesus had given up his spirit—they couldn’t help declaring exactly who Jesus was.

 

Encountering Jesus has that effect on people still today. When Jesus shows up in our lives and does something miraculous or we are able to see the work of his Spirit through an individual or a community, we can’t help sharing that good news with everyone we meet. Not all of us may be able to think of something quickly but today would be a good day to spend a bit of time pondering the miraculous in your life. I’m always drawn to the birth of our children and grandchildren. There is no lack of the miraculous in those events. And, then those thoughts take me to so many more. God’s work among us is always present!