THE 7 LAST WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST
Traditionally, these seven words (which
are more like “sayings” that contain more than a single word) are known as
words of Forgiveness, Salvation, Relationship, Abandonment, Distress,
Triumph, and Reunion.
Gathered
from the four Gospels, we hear Jesus speaking to God, to his mother, his
disciples, to a penitent thief, and to us, today, of forgiveness, redemption,
and complete surrender to the will of God. The Seven Last Words also
demonstrate Jesus’ fulfillment of the messianic prophecies. Even
until his final breath, Jesus provided instruction and inspiration for his disciples,
friends, and followers.
“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM,
THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.”
The First Word (Forgiveness)
“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.” Luke 23:34.
We’re familiar with Lent being a season of
repentance; in fact, we hear “Repent, and believe in the Gospel”
as we receive ashes on our foreheads. During Lent, we seek forgiveness. But how
often do we offer it?
As Jesus hung on the cross, he pleaded
with his Father to forgive his tormentors, at whose hands he suffered
unimaginable pain. Sometimes, in our relationships with others, the only thing
more difficult than humbling ourselves to ask forgiveness is to grant it truly.
To fully forgive. To not let resentment continue to linger inside of us.
Jesus’s last words remind us that God’s forgiveness knows no boundaries. We
need God’s help and grace to forgive in this way. Do we place limits on what we
are willing to forgive?
Dear friends, forgiveness is not weakness;
it’s power. Jesus didn’t wait for an apology. Despite all the atrocities they
heaped on him, he prayed for them: “Forgive them.” He begged the Father
to hold his anger and embrace them in his love. The pain they inflicted upon
him could not bring Jesus down. Instead, the ugliness of the moment served to highlight
the purity of his heart, a heart so loving that it was ready to die so that we
may believe in God’s unfailing love. It was in his pain that he granted
forgiveness, and in his death, he guaranteed his gracious love. He released the
people who hurt Him, even the ones who didn’t realize they were hurting Him.
“They know not what they do.” The
mob was so taken with their games of mockery that they failed to see that God
was indeed taking them most seriously. God would not be goaded towards hate and
revenge. The more people tried to hurt him, the more he committed his love. “God
will never turn his back on us, and his guarantee is the passion and the death
of his Son. God will never repay our evil with evil. Not now. Not ever.”
That group chat that hurt you? The
professor who failed you unfairly? The friend who ghosted you? Jesus is saying,
“Let it go before it poisons you.” Life is full of people who “don’t
know what they’re doing.” Start practicing forgiveness now: it will
save your peace later.
“AMEN, I SAY TO YOU,
TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE”
The Second Word (Salvation)
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.” Luke 23: 39-43
The good thief, known as St. Dismas, shows
us the power of conversion, along with its reward. He presumably did not live
the most holy life. Yet as he hung alongside Jesus, his eyes were opened to the
presence of God. With his final dying breaths, he proclaimed Jesus as Lord of
all creation. Jesus recognizes this act of faith and affirms to St. Dismas that
he will join him in heaven. The promise of God’s kingdom is so great. St.
Dismas realized this as he was at the side of Jesus.
Jesus, wracked with his own pains, assured
the criminal of God’s mercy: “Amen, I say to you.” Rest your heart; I will take
care of things for you. And there will be no delay. Today is it, and this is just
the beginning of a new life for you. Believe me, my promise is real. Actually,
God has long been waiting to grant you this happiness through the death of his
Son. Erase all the doubts. Clobber all the fears. No matter how messed up
your past is, one honest cry to God changes everything. From now on,
the world will never doubt the everlasting mercy of God. Not anymore.
My friend, you may have failed a major
subject. You made mistakes in a relationship. You feel like your life is
already ruined. Jesus’ second word says: “Today, right now, grace is
available.” Your regrets and your past do not have the last word. Hope
is one prayer away. There is always a second chance to life, and it is far more
beautiful than you could ever imagine. There is a paradise, and it is waiting
for you. Happiness is not a wish; it is a promise. Happiness is not the prize for
your efforts; it is your birthright. Heaven is not a goal; it is our home. Forgiveness
requested; forgiveness freely given.
“WOMAN, BEHOLD, YOUR SON…
BEHOLD, YOUR MOTHER.”
The Third Word (Relationship)
“Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “WOMAN, BEHOLD, YOUR SON.” Then he said to the disciple, “BEHOLD, YOUR MOTHER.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” John 19: 25-27
Why did Jesus address Mary as “woman” on the cross?
Some suggest that it was a term of honor and respect. Others believe that by saying “woman” and not “mother,” Jesus shows that Mary is not simply his mother, but who we believe to be the Blessed Mother of us all, given to us as Jesus hung on the cross. In his most agonizing moments, Jesus gives all of us, as his disciples, the gift of his mother. He entrusts us to each other. We can turn to Mary with confidence, knowing that she loves us as a mother and wants nothing more for us than to remain close to her son. We can be assured of her prayers for us and find comfort in her heart, a heart full of love for Jesus.
Jesus looks at His mother Mary and His
beloved disciple John, and creates a new family bond in His final moments. Even
while dying, Jesus cared about relationships. He made sure His mother wouldn’t
be alone. Knowing very well that her pains will persist for a really long time,
he points her to his disciple, her newly found son. Mother, your tears will
persist, but someone will be there to cry with you. And in the tears that both
share, you will remember my compassion. Jesus understands the curse of
loneliness attached to pain. He knows that we all need a hand to hold on to. This
was his undeniable experience on the cross.
When we people are happy, we naturally
look for someone to share our joy with. But when we are in sorrow, we tend to
wallow in our pain all the while believing that no one else understands.
Companionship could be an open hatch; loneliness is a dark prison with no escape.
Never be alone in your pain. This is how Jesus gathered his courage and
fortitude. There is always a third party in my miseries: myself, my pains… and
my God, who holds the meaning of everything.
Companionship keeps the human heart at
peace. During moments of great danger and confusion, only the one who has a hand
to hold on to will emerge victorious. Jesus is reminding you: build a
real family. Text your mom or dad today. Check on that classmate who sits
alone. Be the “John” for someone else. Love doesn’t end when life
gets hard; it multiplies.
“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE
YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
The Fourth Word (Abandonment)
“At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated as, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” Mark 15: 33-34.
Utter humanity. When God feels far off and
distant, or when we struggle to feel connected to Jesus, these words can help
remind us of just how human Jesus was. Have we not all felt forsaken at times?
In this, his most human and vulnerable moment, Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, which
we sing on Good Friday. When we feel abandoned, as Jesus did when he cried out
to his Father, the conclusion of Psalm 22 reminds us that darkness does not get
the final word. And this is the most honest word. Even the Son of God felt
abandoned. He didn’t pretend to be strong.
The only way to make sense of the paradox
is to acknowledge the divine in the mystery. “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
These are not despondent of it all, the Father is faithful. Always. “The
poor will eat their fill; those who seek the Lord will offer praise. May your
hearts enjoy life forever!” (Psalm 22) And Jesus believed through it
all. He prayed that he might not lose the sense of companionship with his Father;
he called on the Father, not once, but repeatedly throughout his ordeal.
Confusion purified his commitment. Despair had turned into resoluteness.
So, that 3 a.m. moment when you question
everything, your faith, your choices, God’s plan? You’re allowed to scream “Why?”
Jesus already shouted it for you. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it’s
part of the journey. Bring your questions to God. He can handle them.
“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
“I THIRST.”
The Fifth Word (Distress)
“After this, aware that everything was now finished, so 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.” John 19: 28-29.
Water, thirst, and drinking are all part
of a common motif that appears throughout the Gospels, particularly in John.
Jesus tells us in John 7: “Let anyone thirsty come to me, and let the one
who believes in me drink.” In this moment on the cross, Jesus, who offers
us the promise of living waters through the Holy Spirit, is dry. And when water
dries up, life dies.
We can all relate to the feeling of both
physical thirst and inner emptiness. People thirst for water; we thirst for friendship.
We thirst for accomplishments; we thirst for meaning. We thirst for happiness,
for someone to love, etc. Moments of thirsting and emptiness are almost always
accompanied by a sense of restlessness.
But what else was Jesus thirsting for? In
this moment, Jesus was betrayed by humanity and felt forsaken by his heavenly
Father. He thirsts for us; he wants nothing more than for us to understand just
how much he loves us fully and for us to love him in return. When Jesus called
out his thirst upon the cross, he was given the sour taste of vinegar. In the
same way, we too often respond to Jesus’s thirst not with our love, but with
the vinegar of a heart hardened to God.
Jesus signed his love in full, and the
Father accepted the check willingly, but uses it to pay for mankind’s arrears. He
is the lamb sent to take away the sins of the world. His dying will never be a
brutal defeat; this is a sacrifice! It is not one life being forcibly taken
away; it is intimacy reconnecting father and Son, bringing new life for us all.
This is the pure gift of the Father. Through Jesus. With Jesus. In Jesus.
Jesus heaves heavily now, and honors his heart’s desire: “I thirst!”
Dear friends, burnout is real. Mental
health struggles are real. Saying “I’m thirsty, I need rest, help, water,
prayer” is not failure; it’s wisdom. Jesus models that it’s okay to
admit you’re not okay. Reach out to a parent, a friend, a priest, or a
counselor. Your vulnerability can become someone else’s strength.
“IT IS FINISHED.”
The Sixth Word (Triumph)
“When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, ‘IT IS FINISHED.’ And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.” John 19:30
Each year at the Easter Vigil, before we
hear the Gospel of the Resurrection, we read a passage from Isaiah 55 where the
Lord speaks to us: “Yet just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down,
and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and
fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats. So
shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me
empty, but shall do what pleases me, achieving the end for which I sent it.”
While he hung on the cross, Jesus, Word
made flesh, had accomplished everything he needed to. Having taken the full
weight of humanity’s sins, he’s given himself fully. He achieved the end for
which he was sent. Jesus has triumphed. His work is complete. These words are
his earthly farewell. Not “I am finished.” “It is finished.” The
mission is complete. Jesus didn’t say “I tried my best” or “Maybe next
time.” He declared victory. The debt of sin was paid. The work of salvation was
done.
If Calvary were a classroom, Jesus was
done with all the exams and was just waiting for the signal to pass his test
papers. And with the wait came peace, quietly creeping into his soul. And so
shall be for you, too: You will graduate. You will finish that thesis. You
will survive this heartbreak. But more importantly, if you trust Jesus, your
eternal story is already “finished” in the best way; God’s love
for you is complete. Stop striving to earn what’s already given. Rest in “It
is finished.”
“FATHER, INTO YOUR HANDS
I COMMEND MY SPIRIT.”
The Seventh Word (Reunion)
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “FATHER, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT”; and when he had said this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23: 44-46
“What does Jesus say with his last words
that he has on earth to us? What does he do? He points us to the Father. He
throws himself into the arms of the Father. And then he lets go.” In the sixth
word, Jesus triumphs. Now he enters heaven, received by his Father, who
lovingly welcomes us all into his kingdom.
Jesus points us to the Father so that we, too, can throw ourselves into
His arms, surrendering to Him, knowing He loves us and will not lead us astray.
And when we place ourselves in God’s arms, we’ll share in the joy that Jesus
felt upon His reunion with the Father. When we place ourselves in God’s arms,
we’ll be close to him and share in the joy that Jesus felt upon his reunion
with the Father. Jesus’ last breath is total surrender and trust. He started
with “Father” and ended with “Father.” Even in death, the relationship
remained.
Jesus was not afraid of death. He was
already looking forward to what would happen after the gruesome end. “Father,
I am coming home. Expect me with an empty bag. But I will be bringing my
faithful heart.” And in the silence of those solemn moments before he
breathed his last, Jesus felt the Father assuring him, “Come home now, my
Son. How I would love to embrace you. Whatever be the desires of your heart, I
will grant. And if your burning desire in life is the forgiveness of humanity,
fear not, I am your Father. And this is my commitment: forgiveness granted, now
and till forever. Close your eyes now, that you may see my glory. Let me… bring
you home.”
The modern world might teach us independence,
but the deepest freedom comes from dependence on God. Every night before
sleep, every decision, every fear—say, “Father, I commit this to You.” That’s
how you finish strong, no matter what the future holds.
Know what? Jesus will not remain dead for long. For true love cannot be held back. He will rise back to life, definitely! So, shall we!
Lord Jesus, you were obedient unto death
on the cross, you carried my sins with love. I stand at the foot of your cross
and place before you my fears, failures, and those I love. May I trust in the
love you already given. Amen!
By. B'rata Joe H., sdb - PtiteLight
Sources consulted:
Robleza D. Armand, SDB. Moments: the last hours of
Jesus on the cross (part one)
https://sistersofmercy.org/spirituality-and-faith/the-seven-last-words-of-jesus/
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