More to See

As many times as Jesus spoke of His impending death, none of the disciples should have been surprised.  But, most likely it was too far a reach for any of them to really consider.  Nonetheless, it happened as Jesus said it would happen.  Another thing which must have greatly surprised every Hebrew was what happened in the Temple when Jesus died.  While the first three gospels all record the event, Matthew wrote, "Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed His last.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom."  (Matthew 27:50-51)

 

The curtain in the Temple separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple.  Only once a year did the high priest go behind the veil to offer a sin sacrifice for the people.  It was regarded as the most holy place in all the land.  One of the interpretations often given to this event is that with the death of Christ accessibility to God was given to all.  No longer would only the High Priest go into this holy place.  With the death of Christ, everyone was granted access to the presence of God.  His presence would no longer be limited to the most holy place in the Temple and everyone had access.

 

It has been the interpretation I have carried with me on my journey.  Recently, as I was reading a book entitled "Everything Belongs" by Richard Rohr, I read, "In mature religion, the secular becomes sacred.  There are no longer two worlds.  We no longer have to leave the secular world to find sacred space because they've come together. That was the significance of the temple veil rending when Jesus died....There is no natural world where God is not.  It is all supernatural."  Rohr's words opened a new window for me to see something I have been seeing a long time, but just maybe, not seeing everything there was to see.