The Seven Last Words of Christ

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[Salvation]

The Seven Last Words of Christ
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, SFO

 

 

• "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
• "Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
• "Woman, behold thy son...Behold thy mother." (John 19:26-27)
• "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46)
• "I thirst." (John 19:28)
• "It is consummated." (John 19:30)
• "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46)
   

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

As Jesus spoke these words, he looked down from the cross at the people who had scourged him, beaten him, spat upon him, and shouted for him to die. But Jesus knew that his Father's love included them, too. To the Father, we are all his children, created in the image of God. Did they know that Jesus on the cross was the son of God? Dear Lord Jesus, may we graciously forgive those who have insulted us. May we reach out to all who hate us, just as you did on the cross, when you spoke these words "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."

 

"Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise."

Here is the repentant thief, handing on the cross next to Jesus. He could have said nothing. He could have had the same thoughts that prevailed in the crowds milling about at Golgotha. But the thief knew he had sinned, and he had faith. He asked Jesus to forgive him, thusly: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (Lk. 23:42) May we have the presence of mind, when we breathe our last, to ask Jesus to forgive us, and to take us into His Kingdom.

"Woman, behold thy son ... Behold thy mother."

Jesus, realizing that the end is near, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, and St. John, standing at the foot of the cross, tells his mother "behold thy son..." In this instance, Jesus gives all of us a legacy, we are His heirs, and Mary is our Mother. That is why we love Mary so much. And Jesus told the Son, the disciple, in other words, you and I - that now we have a Mother, Mary. And we ask Mary, who is closest to her Son in Heaven, to intercede with Him on our behalf. Mary, Our Mother, Queen of All. So we are no longer orphans... we have a Heavenly family of which we all are a part.

"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

Jesus feels this emptiness, this loneliness, as he is waiting to die. He feels unloved, forgotten, hated, defiled. Dear Jesus, never allow us to be so cut off from your love that we feel forgotten. When we dishonor God through sin, we often feel forsaken, and when we continue not to love Jesus, He will feel forgotten and unloved. The Father has given us great love, indescribable love, when we were created in God's image. He knows each one of us personally. So we are never forsaken or forgotten.

"I thirst."

Jesus wasn't really thirsting for water, as much as he was thirsting for our love. When we say "Lord, I love you," let this not be just words, but may our actions, our love for our sisters and brothers, show this love for Him who redeemed us by his Cross.

"It is consumated"

It is done. It is over. Jesus finished what he came to the world to accomplish, to redeem us from our sins by his Crucifixion. "Jesus, the Son to whom the Father has given all things, has given himself wholly back to the Father, yet expresses Himself with a sovereign freedom by virtue of the power the Father has given him over all flesh.¹"

"Father into thy hands I commend my spirit."

Jesus places all that he has into the Hands of God. His Body is buried, to arise from the dead three days later. His Soul ascends directly into Heaven, into the Hands of the Father. We pray that when it is our time to leave this earth, that our soul will also go to Heaven, as in our last breath, we say, Lord it is finished, I am now yours all the way.

 

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THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE CROSS

THE SEVEN LAST WORDS

OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE CROSS

(The 7 last words of Jesus Christ on Calvary as recorded by the Four Gospels

provided here in English and Latin)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio

 

The Seven Last "Words" of Jesus Christ from the cross are actually 7 short phrases that Jesus uttered on Calvary that serve as an excellent holy week meditation.  To find all of the seven last words of Jesus Christ, one must read all the gospels since none of the evangelists records all 7 last words.  The sayings would have been originally uttered by Jesus in the Aramaic language, but only one of the last seven words of Jesus is preserved for us in the original Aramaic, namely "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani" or "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me," which is actually a direct quote of the opening verse of Psalm 22.  The rest of the seven last words of Jesus  are found in the gospels after having been translated into Greek by the four Evangelists.  We reproduce them here in Latin as well as English, since the Latin version of the Seven Last Words of Christ has been used so extensively in sacred music, notably by composers such as Franz Josef Hayden.  For centuries these seven last words of Jesus have been also used as meditation points for spiritual conferences, retreats, and Lenten missions.  They are particularly wonderful to use for prayer during Holy Week, especially on Good Friday.  For more food for prayer during Lent and Holy Week, visit the Lenten/Holy Week on-line resource library of the Crossroads Initiative.

1.    "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."  Lk. 23: 34  Pater, dimitte illis, quia nesciunt, quid faciunt.

 2.   "This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise."  Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso.  Lk. 23: 43

 3.   "Woman, behold thy son."  Mulier, ecce filius tuus.  Jn. 19: 26-7

 4.   "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"  Deus meus, Deus meus, utquid dereliquisti me?  Mk. 15: 34 (Mt. 27: 46)

 5.   "I thirst."  Sitio.  Jn. 19: 28.

 6.   "It is finished."  Consummatum est.  Jn 19: 30

 7.   "Into thine hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit."  In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum.  Lk. 23:46

[Tennessee Nana]

Great post for Easter...

Thank you

[Ciexyz]

Words of wisdom bump.

[MaggieM]

Beautiful, thanks :)

[Ciexyz]

btt

[Salvation]

THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
Soldiers have just driven nails through his hands and feet and hoisted him up by those nails. He does not fear those who kill his body; he pities them and prays for them. If they knew how much this hurts, they could not do it to anyone. They are unwitting instruments of the higher purpose that brings him here.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
But physical torment takes its toll. He suddenly discovers that he cannot hear the still, small voice; he has lost his two-way communication with God. His lifeline is not working, so he must face the the narrow gate of death alone.

He said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" (John 19:26-27)
Not quite alone. He looks down. Which hurts worse: the pain of being crucified, or the pain of a mother watching her son be crucified, or the pain of a boy whose beloved teacher hangs bleeding before his eyes? He understands their pain in the midst of his own, and tells them to care for each other.

"I thirst!" (John 19:28)
Time passes slowly. His spring of living water runs dry. He reaches the end of his strength. This is the moment the Tempter has been waiting for: through the voices of cynical men, Satan tries again, as he did in the wilderness: "If you are the Christ, prove it! Save yourself and impress the people."

"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)
But a dying thief says, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." What the cynical voices suggest is not the way to prove he is the Christ. His kingdom is not of this world. He ignores them and reassures the thief.

"It is finished!" (John 19:30)
He has defeated the Tempter again. Despite the agony, he has rejected temptation and cared for those around him. His temporary duty on earth is complete. He has shown the way God wants us to live. He has demonstrated the fact that faith and hope and love cannot be destroyed by anything men can say or do.

"Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)
Like a trusting child, he turns to the Father and takes the next step. He has bound himself by love, to both God and the human race. Soon he will begin his long-term ministry by demonstrating the fact that human beings survive physical death. Then he will continue to draw to himself, and thus to heaven, everyone he can ... for as long as it takes ... until whosoever will has come.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks, Sal, it’s so good to be able to come to FR and see your inspiring posts.

[Ciexyz]

Here's wishing a blessed Holy Week to everyone as we look forward to Easter Sunday.

[Salvation]

Thanks, say a Hail Mary for the poster.

[Global2010]

Bump

[Salvation]

Last Seven Words of Christ Are Full of "Spirit and Life"

[Judith Anne]

Will do, FRiend.

[silverleaf]

Thank you.

[restornu]

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

But physical torment takes its toll. He suddenly discovers that he cannot hear the still, small voice; he has lost his two-way communication with God. His lifeline is not working, so he must face the the narrow gate of death alone.

****

So who is Jesus talking too?

[dashing doofus]

God bless you, and thank you for your efforts.

[annalex]

"I thirst."

The Gospel records another time Jesus thirsted, in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. It is then that He promised to give us the eternal water of Baptism, for which, once partaken, we shall not thirst again. It is then for the unbaptized that He thirsts of the Cross.

Let us remember also that non-Christian can make a decision for Christ, but an unbaptized baby cannot. This should put the horror of legalized abortion in perspective for us.

[annalex]

I was asked privately what did I mena by “legalized” abortion.

Abortion was illegal throughout Christian history. It was legalized in the US in the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Originally the Row v. Wade only applied to certain gestational age of the baby, but soon other court decisions legalized abortion at any gestational age, up to the moment of complete birth, for any reason.

In many other “civilized” countries, especially Western Europe, abortion is likewise legalized although, unlike the US, they tend to have at least some restrictions. We in the US have exceptionally barbaric laws in that regard.