Outside a City Wall

I had the privilege of going to the Penshurst cemetery the other day. I was struck by the distance from the town centre to the cemetery itself. This is not in any way a criticism, but rather an observation. The phenomenon of ‘camouflaging’ death is evident in every parish I have served in. The cemetery is placed away from view; away from our thinking and consideration. We don’t want to confront it. It’s almost as if we have tried to pretend that death does not occur. By placing it at the periphery of our town limits, we can conveniently and swiftly forget about it.

Further, it’s as if we are ashamed of sister death. The unwelcome guest who mucks with our lives. An inconvenience. The Master was crucified well outside the city of Jerusalem for this very reason. He died a criminal's death and therefore died outside of the city. Even in a death; a humiliating, naked death, the location says it all. The place of his death clearly speaks the message that this man was a low life, an embarrassment, a recalcitrant. He was a no gooder and we are going to forget about him as quickly as possible.

I actually view it slightly differently and look at the telescope from the other end. I actually think that it was a helpful thing for the Master to die ‘outside’. The message for me is that there is no place that is absent from God’s love. No matter how far we might have strayed, no matter how alone or forgotten… even in death, especially in death, He is there for us, with us and leading us home. The encounter with the other crim on the cross says it all. ‘Today you will be with me in paradise’.