The world is dark! Flashes of lightening and thunder bolt across the sky. The sounds of his mother sobbing uncontrollably penetrating the air. Jesus is gone. All of us surrounded by darkness; a darkness that closes in all around us.

This is not a place I want to linger, but it is an important part of this beloved story. Every day, darkness finds its way in this broken world; the darkness of mental illness, the darkness of racism, the darkness of so much. I find myself grasping to find the light,

Several years ago, I sat with my mom as she lay in the ICU. My hand holding hers as I waited for sone sort of sign from her. The hum of the machines buzzing all around us. Mom laid in that bed for two weeks. I’d sit with her, chatting with her and yearning for some glimmer of hope. Then one day, she woke up. In her waking up, hope and light broke forth from the darkness.

Since that day, nothing has been the same. I find myself sitting today, sitting in the darkness with my friends and family. This darkness is a reminder of what Christ did for us; because of the sin of the world. Sin that comes in doubt, anger, death, betrayal, hate, addiction, guilt and in so many other ways. We are all guilty of these very sins,

It can be so easy to move past the cross and the darkness, but today we must linger there. With uncontrollable sobs, we grieve –grieve that Christ had to die because of our sins; because of the world’s brokenness.

The sun will shine again, but not before darkness covers the earth after Jesus breathes his last. Sunday is coming! But first, let’s linger at the foot of the cross joining our voices with the prophets of old knowing that “Easter says you can put death in the grave but it won’t stay there (Clarence W Hall).”