As I think of Good Friday, my heart goes to the last seven words that our Lord Jesus Christ spoke from the cross. In this Jubilee Year, we are called to be Pilgrims of Hope, a profound calling in a world where noise, money, influence, and power seem to dominate human priorities. Hope lies in recognizing that our humanity will always yearn for more, but we are called to attain freedom from all that binds us to develop the image of God for which we were created.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)
The anxieties and demands of modern life can confuse us and even convince us that our faith must adapt to these realities. Jesus understood our human nature and, with an incomparable love, forgives us from the cross. Even in the midst of pain, He chooses to forgive, showing us the way of forgiveness.
That forgiveness we choose to give not only frees others, but it also frees ourselves from the chains of resentment and the anguish of our judgment. As pilgrims of hope, repentance and asking for forgiveness go hand in hand with forgiving others and interceding for those who do not yet know the beauty of reconciliation.
“Truly I say to you, this very day you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43)
Imagine how your heart would leap with joy and how much peace would flood your being as you looked into the Master’s eyes and saw His tender gaze as He assured you that you would be with Him in paradise as soon as you closed your eyes in this life. That look and those words should be enough to fill our existence with hope that does not disappoint, no matter the circumstance.
“Woman, there you have your son… behold, your mother” (John 19:26-27)
I can’t help but see this scene in my mind and go back to the moment where Simeon in the temple speaks to Mary saying, “A sword will pierce your own soul.” As a mother, Mary must have had her heart bleeding with pain when she saw her son on that cross, and yet she did not leave him; she accompanied him to the last consequences, she continued to say “yes”.
He, Jesus, now almost out of breath, continued to love and protect her, and gave her to his beloved disciple, whom he did not abandon. Through John, an example of love and the priesthood that does not abandon, he left us the wonderful love of Mary, Mother of the Church who would be born after the suffering of the cross, death and resurrection of our Savior.
“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” (Matthew 27:46)
A cry that would seem hopeless… it is rather one more teaching of the Rabbi. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In the midst of the pain in his body, of loneliness, seeing himself abandoned even by those who accompanied him during his ministry, and humiliated by most of those who surrounded the cross… in the midst of this dark picture, Jesus turns to the Word.
Jesus knows that his Father hears him and does the same thing he taught us during the temptations: he goes to Psalm 22, which begins with that pain in the flesh and closes by praising the King who is God, Lord of the nations. The Lord is dying, and yet he shows us a path of hope, the way to an intimate relationship of love and trust with God. As pilgrims, we are called to walk that path, loving, and inviting others to do the same.
“I thirst” (John 19:28)
A tender and loving thought was shared today, and it stuck in my heart. In addition to physical thirst, Jesus thirsted for faithful and contrite hearts. Think about it: just a disciple, his mother, and a couple of other women… and He there, paying a debt that was not His to open a path of hope, the way back home!
A reflection awaits us: Shall I give crystal clear water to my Lord, or will I also give Him vinegar? Nothing satisfies God more than a repentant heart. Does my soul hurt when I fail you? Do I live a life that shows my love for Him? Am I an instrument of His to show others that He is the fountain of living water? Am I quenching their thirst for the faithful by returning to their ways?
“It is finished” (John 19:30)
An exclamation of triumph, of hope! St. Ignatius of Loyola says that we must love God intensely in order to fulfill his purpose for us. Every human being has been created in His image and with a unique purpose. Jesus is the Christ and He knew the Father’s Plan.
He showed us that it is from our human nature that we can prepare ourselves to reach the full manifestation of our divine image… And that is His grace, the gift of salvation. By His grace, we can all reach the goal and come to eternal life.
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46)
In these final words, Jesus shows us total and trusting surrender to the Father’s love. After having forgiven, promised paradise, given up to his mother, expressed his abandonment, manifested his thirst, and declared that all is finished, Jesus surrenders completely into God’s hands.
This surrender is not an act of desperation, but of deep trust. It is the culmination of a life lived in obedience and love. Jesus teaches us that, even at the moment of death, we can fully trust the Father.
Final Reflection: Pilgrims of Hope
As I meditate on these Seven Words, I realize that they are not just expressions of a man in his agony, but living teachings that guide us in our daily walk. Every word is an invitation to live with more love, forgiveness, surrender and hope.
In this Jubilee Year, as Pilgrims of Hope, we are called to bring these teachings to the world. To be witnesses of Christ’s love in our daily actions. To trust that, even in the midst of pain and uncertainty, God is with us, leading us to eternal life.
May these words of Jesus on the cross be a light on our journey and a constant source of hope. His grace is enough!
