The Gospel story, told by St. Mark, tells us the story of Jesus, the just man, of His life journey and its culmination in arrest, unjust condemnation and death on a cross. Today we hear that story told again and we witness the injustice of it, the unfairness of it and the cruelty of it. The man who lived in the daylight is arrested in the dark. The man who spoke openly sees His words twisted and used against Him. The man who honored every person He met is brutally treated and taken out to die.
We tell this story and continue to tell is because it is the story of every person in this world. It is the story of the just person who seeks to live an honorable life, who meets with suffering and with cruelty, with injustice and with flawed societies. It is the story of how the just person perseveres in goodness despite all setbacks and opposition, and seeks the face of God. This is how life is in a fallen world. The forces of darkness are very real. The darkened sky over Calvary, where Jesus died, tells us to prepare ourselves for