S&F: It is Finished

There are some differences in the Gospels when you look at for Jesus's last words.  The last words of Jesus according to John are "It is finished."  Since John was present at the foot of the Cross, I tend to think that is the true last words.  After all, if you were there, wouldn't you remember his last words?

The way we, as Catholics, celebrate the days from Holy Thursday to Easter is by treating them as one single event.  Holy Thursday mass just ends.  There is a procession of the Eucharist but there is never a real ending to the mass.  Everyone just leaves the Church in silence.

Good Friday is the only day during the year that we as Catholics do not have a mass.  We do have a service to venerate the Cross.  We might pray over the Stations of the Cross, remembering the path Jesus took to his crucifixion and the sacrifice he made to redeem the world from our sins.  But since we are focusing on the death of our savior we don't have a reason to celebrate.

Saturday night the triduum finally concludes with the Easter Vigil Mass. We read the story of salvation, culminating with the celebration of the Resurrection.  We welcome new members to our church by celebrating the sacraments.  Finally, our three day service ends with a blessing to go out and proclaim our faith.

So, today I think its best to focus on the cross.  Jesus wasn't carrying his cross.  The cross represents all of our sins.  That's why its so heavy.  So heavy he needed Simon of Cyrene to help bear its weight.

We should all look to our own personal cross.  It might be heavy as well, and we probably could use help carrying it.  We just need to look to Jesus for help in prayer.

"Jesus my cross is heavy, and I'm so tired.  Please help me."

Jesus invites us to follow him.  If we are tired and weary in him we can find rest, because his yoke is easy and his burden is light.