Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
(Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John
18:1-19:42)
The Gospel of John has three of Jesus’ “last words”.” Each gives us some insight into John’s understanding
of Jesus. The first of Jesus’ “last
words” in John create a family of his mother and his Beloved Disciple. This act should be seen as more than Jesus’
securing his mother's welfare. More
importantly, it establishes his Church.
When Jesus expires, he will send his Spirit their way.
Those familiar with convents of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries
of Charity will recognize the second of Jesus’ “last words.” They see a poster with “I thirst” connected
to the crucifix in the chapel. The
missionaries mean to say that Jesus himself begs relief for all suffering from
lack of drink and food. John probably
meant the words to emphasize that what happened during Jesus’ passion fulfills
the Scripture. All four gospels have Jesus
referring to Psalm 22 during his passion.
“I thirst” corresponds to verse 16 of the Psalm: “As dry as a potsherd
is my throat.”
Jesus’ final “last word” -- “It is finished” -- refers to his
mission completed on the cross. Jesus
has died as a salvific sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. As John the Baptist said at the beginning of
the gospel, he is “’the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’” As Jesus’
“last words” express the completion of his work of our redemption, may ours one
day express trust in him.
