Luke 23:44-47

It was now about noon, & darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God & said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

Reflection

The center of creation and the center of the temple are both brought to a halt in an instant for all of humanity to look & to linger upon the most consequential, breath-taking event that has ever been & that ever will be.

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The centurion sees all that has happened. He saw the blood-thirsty crowd, the soldiers spitting, beating, & mocking, the nails being driven into hands & feet, the priests looking on in approval, the crown of thorns being crushed into His head, & he saw the One receiving it all. The centurion's response is to behold & worship God.

Because the sinless Savior died, 

My sinful soul is counted free;

For God, the Just, is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me.

(Charitie Lees Smith, "Before the Throne of God Above")

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

• Take the bread: remember Jesus' body which was broken for you.
• Take the juice: remember that His blood was poured out to give a new covenant for you.