Words of love and salvation
At the heart of Christ's Passion resound seven words spoken by Jesus at the height of his suffering. Each of them is a spiritual treasure, a light that illuminates the mystery of the Cross. These words, spoken in the ultimate abandonment, reveal the full depth of divine love for wounded humanity. By meditating on them, we discover a path of consolation, hope and inner transformation.
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)
From the very first word, Jesus teaches us about forgiveness. As he is nailed to the cross by executioners insensitive to his pain, he prays for them. This forgiveness offered to those who condemned him goes beyond human understanding. It opens a path for our own difficult forgiveness, inviting us to free our hearts from the weight of resentment and anger.
This word is a vibrant call to live forgiveness as a liberating act that brings us closer to the heart of God.
"Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)
Next to Jesus, a man is crucified. This criminal acknowledges his faults and begs for mercy. Jesus responds with an immediate promise of salvation. These words remind us that, even in our deepest distress, the door to heaven remains open if we turn our hearts to the Lord.
Christ's goodness transcends our sins. It is always ready to welcome us, today as at the hour of our last breath.
"Woman, behold your son. Behold your mother." (John 19:26-27)
In a gesture of filial and universal love, Jesus entrusts his Mother to John, the beloved disciple, and John to Mary. With this gesture, he gives us Mary as our spiritual mother. From now on, she is the one who watches over the Church and each one of us with tenderness.
This maternal gift is a refuge in our trials. Mary intercedes for us and accompanies us on the journey of faith.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
These troubling words express the depth of human distress that Jesus wanted to share to the very end. He makes his own our questions, our feelings of abandonment, our dark nights. And yet, even in this cry of suffering, Jesus speaks to God. He remains united to the Father, even in the shadows.
These words teach us that we can cry out to God in our moments of helplessness, confident that he hears our complaint.
"I thirst" (John 19:28)
These words reveal both the physical thirst of the crucified man and the spiritual thirst of the Saviour: the thirst for love, for the salvation of souls, for communion with all humanity. Here Jesus expresses his burning desire for all people to come to him.
His thirst is an invitation to quench our own thirst with him, the source of living water.
"All is accomplished" (John 19:30)
These words mark the completion of Jesus' mission. He has accomplished all that the Father had asked of him. It is not a cry of resignation, but a declaration of victory. Jesus has given everything, love has triumphed.
For us, these words are a call to trust. Even in trial, God leads everything to its perfect fulfilment.
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46)
In a final burst of abandonment, Jesus entrusts his spirit to his Father. He entrusts himself entirely to him, in trust and peace. These last words of Christ become a daily prayer for us. They teach us to live in trust, to place our lives in the hands of the Father.
This total surrender is the summit of Christian faith and hope.
Lord Jesus,
As we meditate on your last words on the Cross, our hearts fill with emotion and gratitude. You who gave everything out of love for us, teach us to accept your forgiveness, to live in trust, and to place our lives in the hands of the Father.
Give us the ability to forgive in turn, to recognise our deep thirst for you, and to accept to be comforted by your Mother. In our distress, be our light and our strength.
May each of your words continue to resonate within us, to guide us towards true life, towards the Resurrection that illuminates our darkness. We entrust to you our lives, our crosses, our hopes.
Amen.
