March 8 | Lent 3, Year A
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42
A lunar eclipse demonstrates the wonder of the creation, and God’s orderliness. It is also a reminder of the relationship between God and his peculiar creation, humankind. At its rising, humankind—like the full Moon—was bright with the image of God. The source of the light, God, shown upon man unimpeded, and that light reflected back on the entire creation, showing forth the glory of God.
But during the ascent of humans, selfishness, pride, and arrogance formed in the heart of humankind and became an orb that rested between God and humans. The orb of sin cast its shadow on humans, but like a total lunar eclipse, it could not totally extinguish God’s image, but it “bent” that image badly. At the appointed time, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to bring us out of the shadow of sin and back into the brilliance of his glory. And as the blood-red Moon is characteristic of a total lunar eclipse, it is the blood of Jesus that brings us out of the shadows. By taking up that blood, we allow Jesus to take away the orb of sin and restore us in the direct path of God’s glory.
This restoration is more obvious on God’s side of the ledger than ours. The work has been completed by Jesus. The offer has been given by Jesus. But the human execution remains imperfect. The problem is a matter of our faith, for it is through faith that we receive our justification and restoration to our original status before God. In this life, our restoration is only as complete as our faith is mature.
The question remains: What then have we received? As sinful human beings we have rebelled against God. Through our sin we have become his enemies and are subject to his retribution, the natural and deserved consequences of our rebellion.
Jesus, by taking on our sin and taking on the consequences of our sinning, has given us the opportunity to be at peace with God. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon is blood red. During a human eclipse, the red blood is either ours or that of Jesus. As we read in John 3:16, although this offer of peace is made to the whole world, it is only effective for those who believe that Jesus is the Incarnate Son of God and died according to God’s will and for our sins. So, in addition to being restored to our original relationship with God, we are also delivered from our no-win warfare with him.
But the Christian faith is not only about avoiding eternal consequences. This reconciliation places us in the light of God again. As when the Earth is no longer between the Sun and the Moon and the unobscured light of the Sun shines on the Moon, when Jesus removes the orb of our sin, we are exposed to the brightness of the glory of God. God is then accessible to us as the Source of life. Through reconciliation we receive eternal life.
During a total lunar eclipse, when the Moon comes out of the shadow of the Earth, it reflects the light of the Sun on an otherwise dark Earth. Likewise, we are called to reflect God’s light to a world sunk in the darkness of sin and death. This is accomplished by living our lives in obedience to his will and by demonstrating his love to others. It is through our obedience to God that we allow Jesus to clear the path for the Father’s light to shine in our lives.
Look It Up: John 4:13-14
Think About It: Without Jesus, the supply of cleansing and life-giving water is limited to what we can raise in our bucket.
The Rev. Dr. Chuck Alley, former rector of St. Matthew’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, teaches anatomy at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School.
