My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Think for a moment: Jesus has been beaten, scourged, crowned with thorns and nailed to a tree's parts and then raised upright to being more jarring and killing torture. Yet, and don't forget this: his first three words were not about his pain or suffering. No, no complaining or whining. He speaks words of pardon, words that welcome a sinner into heaven and words that offer to us his mother as our mother. Not a sentiment about his horrific experiences .
The fourth word may lead us to consider that finally he has been broken, that he is crying out because of the pain and torture. Yes, the human feelings cry out abandonment but not a conviction that he Father has removed his care and protection. So, what is Jesus' reason for this pleas as he draws closer to the moment of his death? Again, I turn to Fr. Cisserio's 2008 Good Friday reflection mentioned at the outset of these reflections. This Dominican priest believes that "[H]e wants us to believe beyond all doubt that, whatever dark sentiments may envelope our hearts and minds, 'nothing can separate us from the love of God'" (Rom 8:30).
As you look at Jesus nailed to a cross, imagine that you are there, watching him during the final hours or moments of his pain-filled death. See in his suffering a sign to you that even though he is the Son of God, he is submitting to God's will for him. We should see in this moment of resignation Jesus' gift of restoration. His cry is telling us of the restoration of the human race. Here we witness sinful humanity as it is reunited with the Father's friendship. At the moment of these words, the broken order -- a theme Fr. Cisserio carries through his reflection on each of the words of Jesus -- is set aside. A new divine plan is established for the world --- the "new order of fruitful love." Here we must recognize that "[I]t is better for us to be restored than not to have need of restoration." Think about this last sentence of a few moments: it is a powerful link to Jesus Christ.
To those who are strong enough to abandon as best as possible their ways of sin, of fracturing the divine order for us, this dying Jesus, whose hands were immobilized by two nails, touches our sinfulness. He transforms us. He renews who we are, who we were meant to be.
This can happen because your Christ did not renounce what God willed of him. This happened because he did not despair. This came to be because this Jesus did not give up the hope of "embracing God."
Jesuit scholar and saint, Robert Bellarmine, said it all: Jesus gave witness to these feelings of abandonment "so that all might understand the great price of our Redemption." Jesus is saying to you and me that our restoration was costly. Wherever there is sin in our souls, Jesus heals.
The fourth word may lead us to consider that finally he has been broken, that he is crying out because of the pain and torture. Yes, the human feelings cry out abandonment but not a conviction that he Father has removed his care and protection. So, what is Jesus' reason for this pleas as he draws closer to the moment of his death? Again, I turn to Fr. Cisserio's 2008 Good Friday reflection mentioned at the outset of these reflections. This Dominican priest believes that "[H]e wants us to believe beyond all doubt that, whatever dark sentiments may envelope our hearts and minds, 'nothing can separate us from the love of God'" (Rom 8:30).
As you look at Jesus nailed to a cross, imagine that you are there, watching him during the final hours or moments of his pain-filled death. See in his suffering a sign to you that even though he is the Son of God, he is submitting to God's will for him. We should see in this moment of resignation Jesus' gift of restoration. His cry is telling us of the restoration of the human race. Here we witness sinful humanity as it is reunited with the Father's friendship. At the moment of these words, the broken order -- a theme Fr. Cisserio carries through his reflection on each of the words of Jesus -- is set aside. A new divine plan is established for the world --- the "new order of fruitful love." Here we must recognize that "[I]t is better for us to be restored than not to have need of restoration." Think about this last sentence of a few moments: it is a powerful link to Jesus Christ.
To those who are strong enough to abandon as best as possible their ways of sin, of fracturing the divine order for us, this dying Jesus, whose hands were immobilized by two nails, touches our sinfulness. He transforms us. He renews who we are, who we were meant to be.
This can happen because your Christ did not renounce what God willed of him. This happened because he did not despair. This came to be because this Jesus did not give up the hope of "embracing God."
Jesuit scholar and saint, Robert Bellarmine, said it all: Jesus gave witness to these feelings of abandonment "so that all might understand the great price of our Redemption." Jesus is saying to you and me that our restoration was costly. Wherever there is sin in our souls, Jesus heals.
To ransom a slave, you gave away your Son.
