Good Friday Reflection 2: It is Finished

As the cry, “It is finished!” is heard from the cross, I am remembering Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. He had dinner at the home of Zacchaeus and at the end of this ‘short’ story, Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house…For the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost.” Luke 19:9, 10. As he cries from the cross, “It is finished”, I am remembering the parable of the lost sheep and Jesus says, “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost…” Luke 15:4. In that same chapter, the woman rejoices over the lost coin that she found and a lost son is reunited with his family and the father said, “…we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” Luke 15:32. It is finished! “The prophet says, “…And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

From the Hebrew text, we know about the ritual of the ‘scapegoat’. “Then Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and sending it away into the wilderness.” Leviticus 16:21. It is finished! “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6. Jesus the Lamb of God. Jesus the scapegoat for our iniquities. Jesus has come for the lost and hopeless, the rejected and the shunned. He comes for shepherds and kings, a prophetess and a priest. The blind see, the lame walk, and the lepers are restored to wholeness. The lost have been found and the dead have been raised to new life. Jesus comes for you and for me. His body is sacrificed on the Cross of our sins and it bears the ‘iniquities of us all’. “Father, remove this cup from me; not my will but your be done” Luke 22:42. God’s will is done. God’s plan is complete. It is finished! And darkness falls over all the earth.

Prayer:  

Thank you God! Your will is done. I am humbled. Be my strength and never permit me to forget what you have done to return me to your fold. It is finished! Thank you God!