Good Friday: 7 last words
Today is good Friday. As part of the Holy week celebration and comemoration of the death of Jesus in the cross. There were few activities that was held in the church. One of this is the "Siyete palabras" which recall the seven last words of Jesus in the cross.
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This year's holy week is life changing for me. Maybe not 360 degree in one move but a step for some changes. I am happy and proud to say that, I attended the seven last words activity in the church for the first time in my entire existence. Yes, it's not my first time hearing it because I've been listening on radio way back or watch it no television. Yet, it's very much different when you heard it personally. The seven last words that was delivered by seven different people with different stories and journey with the Lord. Words that touches my heart and soul that I could tell myself it is the Lord that spoke to me through these people.
There are different activities I get to attend today but the seven last words was the highlight of it all.
The seven last words;
Father forgive them, for they do not know what the are doing.
Today you will be with me in the paradise.
Dear woman here is your son, here is your mother.
My god, my god why have you forsaken me?
I am thirsty.
It is finished.
Father into your hands I commit my spirit.
Reflection:
"Father forgive them, for they do not know what the are doing."
As the Lord was about to be crossified, he asked the Lord Almighty to forgive the people that made his sufferings and crossifixion.
We are the reason of his sufferings yet he asked the Father to forgive us because we do not know what we are doing. In this life alone when the only thing that we do is sinfulness towards Him and our Father in heaven, we are still forgiven. Even with our sinfulness, He loved us. His love is abundant that even in his difficult times, the only thing he do is to understand and forgive us.
I hope and pray that today we will start forgiving ourselves and leave our sinfulness behind. Let us live the love and the forgiveness that the Lord had offer for us through the sacrifice of his life.
"Today you will be with me in the paradise."
As the thief who asked to be with him in his paradise the Lord promise him that with the regrets and the faith he had in him he will be with him in heaven.
In this life we are like thieves, who are greedy and discontented of life and it's graces. Thus, continue to commit the sinfulness and all that makes us no longer worthy of his love and grace. Of his abundance and blessings.
I hope and pray that even though we commit sinfulness and like the thief in this world, we will be like him as well who regret and have faith with the Lord. And would asked the Lord to be with him in his paradise. May we be able to do our part as well to become worthy to enter in his paradise.
"Dear woman here is your son, here is your mother."
As Mary cried seeing her son in the cross. Jesus told her that it's the fate that her son had to faced. And he told his disciples that she is their mother. And from that moment on Mary stayed with His disciples.
Whatever fate we have in this world. To all the mother reading this, let's accept what the Lord in heaven prepares for our sons and daughters. Let's entrust them fully to the Lord. And to all the sons and daughters reading this, let's honor and acknowledge our mothers like Jesus had done. For everything will not fulfill without Mary who carry the son from heaven without fear and accepted what the Lord had entrusted of her. Our mother had done a huge role in our life. Without them we will not be in this world.
"My god, my god why have you forsaken me?"
As the Lord suffer the pain from the nails and the arrow in his side, he asked the Lord, "why have you forsaken me?"
Sometimes in our life as we encounter struggles, challenges and pain, we immediately questioned the Lord, "why have you forsaken me?" We always asked why should we needed to suffer such pain, such struggles. And then we doubt him. We doubt his goodness, his power. If we look closer to the struggles and pain, it is not intended to break us, scar us but to strengthen us, and make our faith deeper and move us closer to the Lord. This is to remind us that we are nothing without the Lord. That the Lord is the most powerful and has the total control of everything.
I hope and pray that in times of pain and struggles we will not question the Lord. The struggles are not there to forsake us but to move us closer to him. Let's call him in times of crisis and hold unto his faithfulness, his goodness, his love.
"I am thirsty."
As the Lord become thirsty. And the soldier give him a sponge with vinegar on it. The Lord wasn't pertaining to wordly desires and needs. But it was because of a divine need.
I am thirsty, isn't about our basic needs of water, of power, or of richness but of the soul. I'm life we couldn't find contentment because our soul is empty, which worldly things cannot fill-in. Thus, we need spiritual aspects for our soul to be full and our flesh to be contented.
I hope and pray that may we feed our soul as well not just our body. May we recieve the holy eucharist and hear the message of the Lord every day or every Sunday. May we be able to feed our soul for us to satisfy our thirst from this world.
"It is finished."
After the soldier gave him vinegar in sponge, he said "It is finished." His sufferings will be over and his life will end thus he says it is finished.
In this life that we borrowed, it will come to an end. We will all die. Just like Christ, we will. And by that everything that we had in this world in this life will end and will vanished. We couldn't bring anything in this world. The richness, the power, the popularity. We can't bring them all when we die. Therefore, we shouldn't put too much effort to have this in this world. Instead have faith, have good friends, good relationship. Have things that will not rotten. Do good deeds. Help others. Serve the lord through the people around you.
I hope and pray that we will build richness in heaven and not of this world. For this world is not ours and our borrowed life will end and our time will be finished sooner or later. Let us seek the kingdom of the lord.
"Father into your hands I commit my spirit."
As the life of Jesus end, he cried in his last breath that he entrusted his spirit to the hands of his Father.
Just like Jesus, I hope and pray that we will entrust our soul to the Lord. That we will put our full trust in him for it is from him alone. Let us dedicate this life to the Father. And by that I mean, that we will do all things in him, through him and with him.
Conclusion:
Holy week is a celebration of how great the love of God towards us that he gave his only begotten son to die for our sins. I know that we celebrate holy week in different ways but I just hope and pray that we knew and learned the essence of celebrating it alone.
I may not have yet the total change but I love this small changes that happened to me today. The miracle of attending the seven last word in good Friday. And not only that because I see the goodness, the love and the very essence of the holy week. I hope and pray that you too. Soon you will find that way too or please find it yourself. Learned and understand it. It is essential for your faith, your soul and your life in general. Take the first step. Do it now cause if not now then when? A small reminder that we don't know until when we could borrow this life that we had.
That would be all for today friends. Thank you for your time and God bless.
Amen to this 💓