By: Erika Glover
"…‘It is finished.’ And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit...” The gospel of John recounts the words Jesus said before dying for our transgressions. Stories are always told about what your last words would be, how you would choose to leave your legacy, and how you would want to be remembered. And the three words the Son of God chooses are, “It is finished.” It is finished. His life is finished? The fulfilment of the scriptures, finished?
Since a young age, we’ve been read the passion & death of Jesus, and sometimes the words become habitual. It is finished. Jesus was born, he lived, and now, he has died. It is finished. Pilate offered options but the people wanted crucifixion, free Barabas! They shouted, if only they knew. But now, It is finished. They beat him and whipped him, then up the hill they forced him, carrying his cross all the while. Suffering & pain all for our forgiveness. And now it is finished. When at the top of the hill, Mary weeps at his feet. Her son nailed to a cross of wood, crucified. But now, it is finished. After blood and water poured from his sides, onlookers said “Truly, this is the son of God.” Faith instilled, but still, it is finished.
Last night, us blogsters plus a few friends went and prayed the steps at the Holy Cross Immaculata in Mt. Adams. In doing this, you can pray as you like, whether it is the rosary, and pray a Hail Mary on each step, or simply pray for a different person on each step. The whole way, you’re making your way closer and closer to the top of the hill. Its hard not to put yourself in the shoes of Christ and how it must’ve felt while he was making his was up Calvary Hill. What possessed our God to make it all that way with such a burden, being ridiculed, beaten, whipped. It’s unfathomable. But now, it is finished.
Since a young age, we’ve been read the passion & death of Jesus, and sometimes the words become habitual. It is finished. Jesus was born, he lived, and now, he has died. It is finished. Pilate offered options but the people wanted crucifixion, free Barabas! They shouted, if only they knew. But now, It is finished. They beat him and whipped him, then up the hill they forced him, carrying his cross all the while. Suffering & pain all for our forgiveness. And now it is finished. When at the top of the hill, Mary weeps at his feet. Her son nailed to a cross of wood, crucified. But now, it is finished. After blood and water poured from his sides, onlookers said “Truly, this is the son of God.” Faith instilled, but still, it is finished.
Last night, us blogsters plus a few friends went and prayed the steps at the Holy Cross Immaculata in Mt. Adams. In doing this, you can pray as you like, whether it is the rosary, and pray a Hail Mary on each step, or simply pray for a different person on each step. The whole way, you’re making your way closer and closer to the top of the hill. Its hard not to put yourself in the shoes of Christ and how it must’ve felt while he was making his was up Calvary Hill. What possessed our God to make it all that way with such a burden, being ridiculed, beaten, whipped. It’s unfathomable. But now, it is finished.
"When he had said this,
he again went out to the Jews and said to them,
“I find no guilt in him.
But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover.
Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
They cried out again,
“Not this one but Barabbas!”
Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
...
And he said to them, “Behold, the man!”
When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out,
“Crucify him, crucify him!”
Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves and crucify him.
I find no guilt in him.”
The Jews answered,
“We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God.”
...
After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
...
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.
-Gospel of John 18:1-19:42
As we sit and meditate upon the scripture today (which is rather long so I didn’t include all of it) I ask that you try to identify your sufferings, the things holding you back from loving God completely, the trials and tribulations that separate us from the one who died because he loved us. Try to find yourself sitting at the foot of the cross, and him looking back at you with a gaze of unimaginable love.
This psalm is one of my favorites, Psalm 121.
This psalm is one of my favorites, Psalm 121.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains--
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip--
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you--
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm--
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Have a Blessed Easter!
Your sister in Christ, Erika
Your sister in Christ, Erika