The Lonely Hillside – ‘It is finished’
It was 9 o’clock in the morning. Jesus had been whipped to within an inch of his life. He had staggered with the cross beam as far as he was able. He’d been nailed to the wood and hung up to die. Read or listen to what happened:
John 19: 28-34 (NRSV)
28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.
I wonder what was going through Jesus’ mind when he said…
… ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they’re doing.’
… ‘Today, you will be with me in paradise.’
… ‘Mother, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.’
… ‘I thirst.’
… ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’
… ‘It is finished.’
… ‘Into your hands I commit myself.’
By facing the cross, Jesus took the story of Israel on himself. During the Exile Israel found itself closer to God and had discovered that God brought liberation through suffering. Jesus experienced exile from among his own people. Through Jesus we can discover that God is with us the suffering and grief of the cross. God is with us in our journey, and shares in our sorrows.
God is made known in our exile.
God went into exile for us.
God is with us in our exile.
Prayer
Burdened God, who bore the weight of wood on torn shoulders, we pray for the torn and the burdened, that they may be held together by guts and goodness. Because you were held together by guts and goodness. Amen.