Rend your hearts.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan river. 

"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:9-11).

God the Father and God the Holy Spirit witness to the divinity of Jesus as the Son of God in front of John the Baptist, the disciples and the crowds.  God witnesses to the truth of who Jesus is declares His love for Jesus by rending His garment.  "The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent" (Psalm 104:2).   Likewise, Jesus is the Word made Flesh who pitched His tent among us (Jn. 1:14). 

Throughout the Gospel of Mark, the identity of Jesus as God's Son is witnessed to over and over by His signs and wonders, the demons He casts out whom He commands to be silent about it, and the storms and the waves which obey His command.  This all culminates with Jesus' trial, death on the cross and resurrection.

Jesus is asked by the high priest if  he is God's Son, the Christ.

"And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the Right Hand of Power and coming with the clouds of Heaven.” Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? “You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death"  (Mk 14:62-64).

The high priest rends his garments in witness against Jesus and in an outward sign of repentance and distancing himself from what he considers to be blasphemy.   Earlier we saw God rend His garment of the sky in witness to the truth of Jesus' identity and a loving embrace of the Spirit, drawing His Son close to Him.

The flesh of Jesus is rent by the nails and the spear on the cross.  The tent which he pitched among us, the garment of His flesh and His heart are torn.  He offers Himself as a perfect sin offering wholly acceptable to God on our behalf.  Once again the Shekinah glory of God witnesses to Jesus as being God's Son and our Messiah by rending the curtain of the Holy of Holies in the temple from bottom to top as God's presence departs with the giving up of Jesus' life (Mk. 15:38).  The earth and the sun and the moon give witness as there is darkness across the land at 3:00 in the afternoon.  "I clothe heaven with darkness and make its covering like sackcloth (Is. 50:3).  Giving human voice to the cosmic statement, the centurion declares, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mk.15:33,38).

"Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity" (Joel 2:13).

The Father rends His heart to reveal His love for Jesus, His beloved Son.  Jesus rends His heart on the cross to reveal His love for us, His brothers and sisters.  We are made God's beloved children by the power of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of baptism.

When we witness to Jesus as being God's Son and our Savior we are to not just make external ritualistic signs.  We are to have a true conversion of heart and repent in His Holy presence which dwells among us.  If we can rend from ourselves those things which are not of God and return to Jesus with all our hearts, we will wash our garments in the blood of the Lamb and be saved.  We take up our cross and follow after Him each day until the day we join Him in death rending this body from our souls and are raised up on the last day.