Mark Photos 15:33-41 - Fallen

Mark 15:33-41 - The Death of Jesus When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

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I was out with my kids the other day and saw the beginnings of the leaves that have fallen this beautiful autumn. These were starting to pile up along the yard at the side of our house. They weren’t the beautiful golden or red leaves that were fallen, but were dried and brown. They had fallen amongst the still green grass - amongst places of life and vitality. With Jesus in this story, we have the same - his life ending while the lives of others - the centurion, Mary Magdalene, Mary, and others who were there. His last breath taken while others continued to live on. What was not known, remembered, or understood was the promise that Jesus’ death was not the end. But here, he has breathed his last. It is finished.