A Beacon Of Light… At The Foot Of The Cross
By FR. RICHARD D. BRETON JR.
(Editor’s Note: Fr. Richard D. Breton Jr. is a priest of the Diocese of Norwich, Conn. He received his BA in religious studies and his MA in dogmatic theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Conn.)
- + + Last week’s reflection carried us to the base of Calvary. Today we ascend the hill of Calvary and find ourselves at the foot of the cross. The final Stations of the Cross are Jesus’ dying on the cross, Jesus is taken down from the cross and Jesus is laid in the tomb. Together these stations signify the deepest and darkest moments in the history of humanity. To the person of faith, these are the most important moments in the history of salvation.
The Twelfth Station is: Jesus dies on the cross. Standing at the foot of the cross we become participants in the conversation happening between God and man. As Jesus hangs on the cross, He speaks to the Heavenly Father interceding for us all. This conversation is life-changing and has become known as the Seven Last Words of Christ.
Jesus begins the conversation by saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” In these first words we see the depth of love and mercy God has for humanity. As Jesus is hanging in agony, His mind is not on Himself, but on us. Jesus pleads with the Heavenly Father to forgive humanity for turning their back on Him again.
Jesus forgives us unconditionally! Are we examples of this loving mercy toward others?
The second words Christ speaks are: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Imagine, as He hangs on the cross Jesus shows the power of that love and mercy by forgiving the repentant thief and assures him a place in Paradise. Jesus doesn’t only speak words, Jesus puts those words into action by truly forgiving the thief. Do we forgive, from the heart, or hold grudges? Are we an example of the forgiving action of Jesus?
The third words Jesus speaks are: “Woman, behold, thy Son! Behold, thy Mother!” This is the moment Jesus entrusts humanity into the loving arms of His Blessed Mother. It is also the moment we are reminded that we have a great intercessor in the Blessed Mother. Mary cooperated in the Lord’s plan of redemption by saying yes. Her fiat must be ours as well.
The question presented to us in these words of Christ is: Are we cooperating in the Lord’s plan for our own lives, or are we living our own lives?
They Left Him And Fled
The fourth words spoken by the Lord are: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” One is struck by the anguished tone of this expression in contrast to the first three words of Jesus. He feels separated from his Father. This cry is from the painful heart of the human Jesus who feels deserted by His Father and the Holy Spirit, not to mention His earthly companions the disciples, who “all left him and fled” (Matt. 26:56, Mark 14:50).
Jesus is now all alone, and He must face death by Himself. The fourth words spoken by Christ resonate with us all. We have all experienced moments of feeling alone or abandoned by God, family, and friends. And yet, even in these most distressing times of our lives, there is still a ray of hope. Even the words themselves denote that for us all is not lost.
The fifth words spoken by the Lord on the cross are: “I thirst.” Jesus is thirsty for the love of souls! His thirst is of love and compassion for us, who seek the remedy that quenches all our thirst in life. Remember when Jesus goes to the well to get a drink of water.
What happens there? Jesus encounters the woman whose heart He touches by telling her that He alone can quench her thirst. Are we still thirsty? Maybe now is the time to eliminate that thirst by allowing the Lord to hydrate us with the springs of living water.
Do Not Be Afraid!
The sixth words spoken are: “It is finished.” With these three words, Jesus completes the work He was asked to do. Jesus’ surrender was necessary to accomplish the work of our redemption. Today we often confuse the true meaning of surrender with a more selfish meaning. What do I mean by this? Often, we just give up! We become weighed down by the burdens of life and don’t know what to do. Do not be afraid! There is always a way out! There is always a road to recovery.
The Final Words spoken by Jesus are: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” These words are the final prayer Jesus utters to the Father in Heaven. Jesus can’t do it anymore! He is exhausted, tired, and has no more strength to go on. He bows His head and offers His soul over to the Heavenly Father.
Jesus has offered Himself to the Father and there is no more life within Him. Now we approach the Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross. Imagine, as the lifeless body of Jesus is taken down from the cross, a bystander yells out: “He saved others, yet He cannot save Himself!” Obviously, this man, like the rest, really didn’t know who Jesus was.
Do we know who Jesus is, or has He become as lifeless as the body placed into the arms of His Mother, Mary? Oh how Mary must have felt! She held Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem, raised Him to become the man He was, and now she held her tender child’s lifeless body within her arms. Mary knew who Jesus was!
This station offers a moment to reflect upon when a mother loses a child. Imagine the emptiness they must feel and the pain as their hearts break. When a mother loses a child, she loses part of who she is.
I’m reminded of the funeral of a little three-year-old boy I celebrated early in my priesthood. The boy’s name was Mark. He was shopping with his parents at the mall and fell from the third floor of a department store off the escalator and landed on the first-floor glass jewelry case. His parents could only watch and hear his little screams as he met his immediate death.
The sorrow and deep sadness the parents felt. The total loss they must have felt. And yet, in their brokenness they turned to the only person who could help; they turned to the Blessed Mother and her sorrows. It was the first time I celebrated a funeral for a child. The image of the small white casket as it was carried into church was a haunting reminder of the finality of our earthly life. We will all face death someday and feel like lifeless bodies, but have courage because Jesus is our hope.
A Transformation Of Faith
The final station: Jesus is laid in the tomb. Having made the long and grueling journey to Calvary, Jesus completes the necessary actions to secure our salvation. His body is placed in the sepulcher and arranged for burial. Then the stone is rolled across the opening and it would seem like the end.
Reflecting on the final moments of this journey, we have a decision to make. Are we going to look at ourselves in the mirror of the cross of Christ and open ourselves to conversion? Or are we going to continue down our own path of life?
As we celebrate the Liturgies of Holy Week, the stations we have prayed together will come alive right before our eyes. The prayers, the music, and the actions of Holy Week will help us to process the journey we have made together.
It may feel like we are sitting in the darkened tomb wondering where to go from here. Maybe we have found areas in our lives that need fixing? Remember one thing! The darkness of the tomb will be transformed into the glory of the Resurrection! Soon the stone will be rolled away and we will have undergone a transformation of faith! We will be changed forever!
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world!
