Catholic Community of Jeffersonville St. Augustine
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Catholic Community of Jeffersonville St. Augustine & Sacred Heart

Homily
by
Father Thomas E. Clegg

Good Friday                  St. Augustine/Sacred Heart     2008

Several Sermons have been spoken about the seven last words of Jesus:

Those words include:

   1. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

   2. Woman, behold your son; behold your mother.

   3. I thirst.

   4. My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?

   5. This day you will be with me in paradise.

   6. It is finished.

   7. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. 

Of all of those words, two stand out for me

  because they seem somewhat out of character for Jesus:

     “I thirst…” and… “My God my God, why have you abandoned me?”

They seem out of character because all those other words

  are focused on others…

     Father forgive them…woman, your son…this day you will be with me…

But these two sets of words seem focused on himself, his pain, his agony.

Some theologians say that these words show the humanity of Jesus---

   And I agree. But I also think they show his incredible faith.

He says: I thirst….but the unanswered question is: “for what does he thirst?”

  Perhaps he thirsts for a world that will hear his message…

    Maybe he thirsts for a death that is not in vain…

       I think, perhaps, he thirsts for us to receive his love.

So maybe he isn’t focused only on himself in that moment….

   He thirsts for us.

And what of those other words,

  My God, My God why have you abandoned me.

I have often counseled people that those words give us hope

   when we are on the midst of despair.

Perhaps, Jesus wondered where God was at this most painful time.

Some theologians have suggested that he was praying Psalm 22

   which begins with those words, but he just wasn’t able to finish the prayer.

On this Good Friday,

  I invite you to listen to the remaining words of that Psalm.

Psalm 22:

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

  Why so far from my call for help, from my cries of anguish?

My God, I call by day, but you do not answer; by night, but I have no relief.

   Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the glory of Israel.

In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted and you rescued them.

  To you they cried out and they escaped;

      in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

But I am a worm, hardly human, scorned by everyone,

    despised by the people.

 All who see me mock me; they curl their lips and jeer;

   they shake their heads at me:

  “You relied on the LORD--let him deliver you;

     if he loves you, let him rescue you."

Yet you drew me forth from the womb, made me safe at my mother's breast.

  Upon you I was thrust from the womb; since birth you are my God.

Do not stay far from me, for trouble is near, and there is no one to help.

  Many bulls surround me; fierce bulls of Bashan encircle me.

They open their mouths against me, lions that rend and roar.

Like water my life drains away; all my bones grow soft.

  My heart has become like wax, it melts away within me.

As dry as a potsherd is my throat; my tongue sticks to my palate;

  you lay me in the dust of death.

Many dogs surround me; a pack of evildoers closes in on me.

  So wasted are my hands and feet that I can count all my bones.

They stare at me and gloat; 

  they divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots.

But you, LORD, do not stay far off; my strength, come quickly to help me.

   Deliver me from the sword, my forlorn life from the teeth of the dog.

Save me from the lion's mouth, my poor life from the horns of wild bulls.

Then I will proclaim your name to the assembly;

   in the community I will praise you:

   "You who fear the LORD, give praise!

        All descendants of Jacob, give honor;

           show reverence, all descendants of Israel!

   For God has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch,

        Did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out.

I will offer praise in the great assembly;

   my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.

The poor will eat their fill; those who seek the LORD will offer praise.

        May your hearts enjoy life forever!"

All the ends of the earth will worship and turn to the LORD;

    All the families of nations will bow low before you.

For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations.

   All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God;

       All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage.

And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you.

  The generation to come will be told of the Lord,

     that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn

        the deliverance you have brought.

Did you catch the end of that psalm:

  The generation to come will be told of the Lord,

     that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn

        the deliverance you have brought.

If Jesus was praying that Psalm…

   it points out once again his reliance on God.

       It points out once again his concern for us.

We were the generations to come…

    We were the people yet unborn….

As he hung upon the cross Jesus was praying for us…

My friends, that’s why we call this GOOD Friday. 

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