Today, on this very unusual Good Friday, let's ponder the seven last phrases that Christ spoke on the Cross.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
When Jesus spoke these words He showed us His immense love and mercy. He forgave those who beat Him, stripped him, and crucified him. How much strength it would have taken to forgive those who were hitting him, even if they did not know what they were doing.
Jesus, help us to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We ask for your forgiveness and mercy in our lives and the lives of those we love.
Prayer Recommendation: The Chaplet for Mercy to Forgive Others: https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/chaplet-of-mercy-forgiving-another/
“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus says these words to one of the thieves that were crucified next to him. The man asked Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom. He does this after rebuking the other criminal for putting Christ to the test. Jesus assures the man that he will go to Heaven. This is what Christ promises us all when we are Baptized. If we stay in his grace and out of mortal sin, his promise will be fulfilled through his love and mercy.
Lord, we long to be with you among the saints in the halls of heaven. Help us to avoid temptation and stay as far away from sin as possible.
Prayer Recommendation: Prayer for the Salvation of the World: https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=2730
“Woman, behold your son.”
Jesus gives John to his mother and His mother to John, the beloved disciple. In doing so, He also gives her to us. Mary is our spiritual mother. She loves us and has great power before God and her son. She is the divine mediatrix, meaning that she intercedes for us and brings our prayers to the Father. She is always there for is, just as a good mother should always be. Jesus longs for us to belong to her so that we will be closer to Him.
Mary, we thank you for being our heavenly mother. We ask you to intercede for us and bring our prayers to God.
Prayer Recommendation: The Rosary:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
"Jesus was not abandoned but He allowed Himself to feel and experience this complete loss of the Father in His human nature. He felt the deep experience of despair. He allowed Himself to know and experience the effects of sin. Therefore, He knows what we go through when we despair. He knows what it feels like. And He is there with us in those temptations enabling us to press on through any despair toward total faith and trust in the Father."
TAKEN FROM CATHOLIC DAILY REFLECTIONS DAILY MEDITATION
Lord, help us through our moments of trouble and despair. We unite ourselves to your suffering on the cross in those moments and long for the day when we will be in Heaven and there will be no more pain.
Prayer Recommendation: Prayer to Unite Yourself To Christ's Suffering: https://catholicexchange.com/uniting-suffering-christs-passion
(Scroll to the bottom of the article for the prayer)
“I thirst.”
These words are so powerful. Jesus thirsts for us. He longs for our souls. He wants us to come to him and love him- and he wants to love us. We can satisfy his thirst for souls by giving him all of our love. Mother Teresa wrote a beautiful meditation on Jesus' thirst for souls. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/uxrLdeurxis. If you get a few minutes today, take the time to just sit silently and meditate upon Mother Teresa's words. They are written from Jesus' perspective and are very powerful.
Jesus, I find it so amazing that you long for my soul to be united with you. I want to satisfy your thirst with my love. Give me the grace to realize how much you love me and to love you and others more and more every day.
Prayer Recommendation: Listen to Mother Teresa's "I Thirst" Reflection
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
These words are the words of ultimate surrender to God. When we say these words, we acknowledge that God has control over every aspect of our lives. We submit our lives to His will, which "is love and mercy itself", as we say in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. We can all work on more fully giving our entire lives to God so that we can live totally with Him and for Him.
Lord, I long to be totally yours. I want my life to reflect You. Use me in any way that you want and form me into the person that you created me to be. I give you everything, My Lord.
Prayer Recommendation: Healing Prayer of Surrender: http://catholic.net/op/articles/1333/healing-prayer-of-surrender.html
“It is finished.”
What does Christ mean by this? Although it signifies that his life is coming to a close, it also shows that Christ has accomplished his earthly mission- giving himself as a perfect sacrifice for the salvation of us all. He suffered and died so that we may have eternal life. With every ending, there is also a new beginning. Jesus' death marks the beginning of a new world- one where death is not the end.
Lord, you finished your earthly mission. You suffered and died at the hands of mortal men so that they too might someday be in Heaven with the father. Help us to realize your sacrifice so that we might spread the truth of what you endured for us to others.
Prayer recommendation: Read this meditation on Jesus' words: https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2017/04/13/good-friday-meditation-it-is-finished-jn-1930-summary-vid-full-text/
Just a reminder that today is a day of fasting and abstinence in the Church. Many Good Friday Services can be found online. Let me know in the comments section what your family is doing today to commemorate the Lord's passion.
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