Jn 18:1—19:42
It is finished: The tormented Messiah utters these words as he hangs on the cross. It is a cry of pain and joy: pain because of the sufferings he has undergone; joy because he has fulfilled the Father’s will that he offer his life for the salvation of humanity.
His cry fills the empty sky, a silent witness to the cruel crucifixion of its Creator. Christ utters these words after enduring the hardships and sorrows of human life. Born in a manger, he experiences at an early age the life of a fugitive in Egypt. Upon returning home he helps his father in the carpentry shop, obedient to his parents’ wishes. In the fullness of time, he offers himself to his Father for the salvation of the world. He suffers silently the scourging at the pillar, the crowning with thorns, the jeers of the crowds that have turned against him. He bears the cross to Calvary and is crucified between two common criminals. Now, knowing that his death is near and sensing that his mission on earth is nearing completion, he cries out, “It is finished!”