It was the last blood-red moon to be seen from earth for three years, so I thought I’d better see it. Apparently the red-moon phenomenon can only occur when an eclipse is total, not partial, and so the sun, earth, and moon need to be perfectly aligned. The result, at least in Sydney, was a little anemic, probably due to the bright city lights; but still, it was a bone fide lunar eclipse, and for a brief moment of time, the moon got to rest a little in the shade of the earth.

What a dilemma it would have been, if in the story that we are about to celebrate in this coming Easter season, the eclipse was only partial and not total. What if at the head of the cross, instead of deep darkness surrounding the crown of thorns, there was still sweet sunshine? What if at the foot of the cross, instead of a blood-red glow falling upon me, there was still holy light finding its way through to my sinful heart.

But those sentences in the Book assure me on both counts. Jesus cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” give proof that the judgement was full. And that sentence from John’s letter – ‘The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin’ – states the case clearly. The judgement was not partial, and therefore the purification was full. And therefore the Gospel is not anemic, but amazing and good and truly spectacular.