John 19:30
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, "It is finished."And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
"It is finished."
How could it be finished?
How could God's promise end in death?
This year, more than most, we have wandered in the desert. A Lent filled with social distancing, quarantining, economic distress, illness and death while remaining hungry for the Sacraments, most especially the Eucharist, is not the Lent we chose; yet, it was the Lent that God permitted us to endure.
Before Jesus proclaims, "It is finished," he gives us His Blessed Mother through the beloved disciple. In the midst of suffering, we dwell at the foot of the cross with Mary, having faith in the impossible as she did. Even while looking upon her Son bloodied, beaten, crucified, and dying on the cross, she held on to faith in God's promise of salvation for all through her Son.
The grace of remaining at the foot of the cross of our crucified Savior with Mary is her expectant faith in the impossible. We have faith that we will rejoice once again after the darkness lifts. God's promise does not end in death.
May we patiently endure the contradiction of the cross so that Easter will find us waiting with expectant faith and hope.
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Christian Galvan, Theology II
Home parish: St. Stephen
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
