Thursday, the Fourth Week of Lent

Twelfth Station of the Cross – Jesus dies on the cross

   Death by crucifixion is caused by asphyxiation.  When the body slumps down the diaphragm is constricted making it difficult to breath.  Pushing up to allow a breath meant pulling against the nails through the hands and those driven through the feet.  In many cases the shoulders and elbows became disjointed which left pushing up from the feet as the only option.  At some point there was not enough strength left to push up against the nails again and breathing became impossible.

   It had been three hours since our Lord was nailed to the cross.  During those hours He endured terrible pain.  As bad as the physical pain was perhaps the pain of being deserted by His apostles.  The only one who had stayed the course was John, the beloved disciple.  He stood at the foot of the cross with the Blessed Mother watching His agony.

   At some point during His agony Jesus looked at Mary and John at the foot of the cross and said, “Woman, behold, your son!’  Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!”  (John 19: 27).  By doing so He gave the Blessed Mother to all who believe as their Mother and gave all who believe to Mary as her children.  Mary was present at every moment of Jesus’ life and she is still present at every moment in the life of the Church.

   A darkness fell upon the land for three hours as Jesus hung on the cross.  The last recorded words of Jesus were, “Eli, Eli, la’ma sabach tha’ni?’ that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  (Matt 27:46).  The Jewish leaders present would have recognized that as the first line of Psalm 22 which speaks very clearly of sacrifice of the Lord.

   At the moment of Jesus’ death the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  This was not a curtain as we think of it; it was extremely heavy and led to the Holy of Holy's.  There were earthquakes; tombs opened and many bodies of saints were raised (see Matt 27: 51-53).  I’ve often wondered if perhaps God was considering destroying the world at that moment.  Of all the evil ever done, the crucifixion of our Lord is the greatest.