[ad_1]
Christ died on the cross to save humanity.
It was three o’clock. Jesus asked for water. He could barely speak. A soldier put a sponge on a spear and raised it to his lips. It was terribly bitter but it was enough. He struggled to lift his head and look up at the sky. “It is finished,” he yelled and then bowed his head and surrendered his spirit.
At that moment, the moment was filled with too much emotion for those words to assimilate and reflect on what they meant. But later, when the first Christians read the Gospel of John and heard those words again, they realized how powerful these last words of Jesus were. John wrote his Gospel in Greek, and those last words of Jesus are just one word in Greek; Tetelastai (pronounced, te-te-les-sty).
The expression “it is finished” or tetelestai was well known to them. It was part of everyday language. When a servant had completed a difficult job entrusted to him by his master, he would say to the master – tetelestai – “I have overcome all difficulties; I’ve done the job to the best of my ability. It’s finished.”
When the market trader made a sale and the money was handed over to him, he said, “tetelestai,” the deal is done; full. The price has been paid in full. I am satisfied. When an artist had finished a painting or sculpture, he would step back and say, tetelestai – it’s finished; nothing more can be done to improve this work of art. This painting is complete.
When Jesus spoke those last words, he was not saying like this, “this is my end” as if there was nothing left to do but surrender to his enemies and die. His last words were not the final surrender to the power of Satan as if to say “you have won. I am finished. “These words do not tell us that Jesus was dead now and that is all. He has finished and also everything that he defended and promised during his earthly life. All who heard the tetelestai, understood that Jesus is saying that his work to save the world has been completed.
You have finished the task and nothing can be added to what has been done. Jesus paid the price in full: He canceled all debts. What is it that is finished when Jesus says, “It is finished”? The reconciliation is over. He has won the forgiveness of all people. You do not need to do anything else. Salvation is complete. “It’s finished”.
This makes this Friday a good one!
I remember a certain man. If you meet this man in the morning and say hello “good morning.” Depending on your mood that morning, the most likely and surprising response you might receive is, “What’s so good about this morning?” Like this man, most of us have asked ourselves: what is good about Good Friday? What’s so good about a day when an innocent man was sentenced to death? What’s so good about a Friday when God was crucified and a day when hopes were shattered? What’s so good about a day when we are expected to leave church quietly and sadly?
Without this day, perhaps there would have been no salvation for humanity. If Christ had not died, there would have been no hope of salvation for us (Jn 16: 3; Rom 5: 8). So it’s good because it’s a blessing in disguise! On this day, the devil was put to shame and the power of death was defeated. Therefore, Paul asked: “Where is death your sting, where is death your power?” (1Cor 15:55)
Once again, Good Friday is the climax of our salvation. In fact, some scholars consider this day more important than Easter Sunday. This is because they feel that without this day, the Easter Sunday event of Christ would not have been possible. Good Friday and the activities surrounding it could be compared to the Exultet line of the Easter vigil. Describe the fall of Adam: “a happy fall.” So just as the fall of Adam sets God’s saving plan in motion, Christ’s sacrifice on Good Friday is the climax of that same God’s saving plan for suffering and enslaved humanity.
On this Good Friday, we must remember the sufferings of Christ. This would help us understand the degree of love our savior has for us. We have known that love does powerful and strange things. Because of love, people do extraordinary things for others. God the Father allowed his son to be treated cruelly. He could have rescued him and cursed those who treated him with such brutality and malice. God did all of this for us. He did all of this out of love for us.
Jesus’ announcement, “It is finished” is clear and simple. Jesus has completed his task. The reason you came as a human has been fulfilled. He came so that you and I can have forgiveness and salvation. He came to give us victory. He came to make sure that we enter his kingdom and live forever.
However, we must not store ourselves only in the memorial and the contemplation of a past act. Today’s celebration should help us realize that Christ continues to suffer in many of our brothers and sisters. There are many “Christs” who suffer from hunger, loneliness and discrimination. Perhaps, we did not notice them. So our contemplation should help us to see them.
Furthermore, Christ is suffering and dying in each one of us because we are still tied to many things that imprison us. We remain slaves to our sins, habits, and weaknesses. So, we have not achieved the happiness to which we aspire. For this reason, on this Good Friday, Christ calls us from the cross to a total change, and to be generous with our life as he was with his for the sake of our salvation.
Peace be with you!
