THE SEVEN WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS

“Everything was because out of love” this was the very main reason why Jesus Christ suffered
and was laid on the cross. Christ died on the Cross to redeem mankind, to save us from our sins because
of his love for us. As recorded in the Gospels in the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ was mocked, scorned, and
tortured. He carried His cross up, was nailed to it, and hung between two common criminals. He
suffered an indescribable end, recalled by the Church on Good Friday of Holy Week.

We, Catholics may meditate on the Passion of Christ on the Passion of Christ by reflecting on his
Seven Last Words on the Cross or by a devotion known as The Way of the Cross.

The First Word

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
Luke 23:34

In this line, we can see the mercy of Jesus even at the hour of His death. The attitude Jesus
showed reveals His deepest love and understanding He had for the entire mankind. He loves us so much
that He wants His Father to forgive us. Also, reflecting on the word “forgiveness”, the Holy week is also
the time to value the essence of forgiveness and that we must forgive others just like how Jesus forgives
our sins.

The Second Word

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:43
Jesus tells to us, His precious daughters and sons, that He will be with us until the end. In His
line, Jesus gives us hope that everything will be okay. Jesus wants us to believe in Him and have courage
on every circumstance in life because He will never leave us. We, therefore, must always have faith on
what He had promised to us and always follow the path He chose for us.

The Third Word

“Jesus said to his mother: “Woman, this is your son.” Then He said to the disciple: “This is your mother.”
John 19: 26-27
In these words, Jesus provided for His mother. Those were the words of a concerned and loving
son. Likewise, Mary showed His unconditional love for Jesus by not giving up on him and staying by His
side until the end. Reflecting on the words, Jesus wants to show us that we must always show our
outmost respect and love for our parents. Our parents, even we are not still born in this world, love us
so much that they would sacrifice everything for us. In return, we must always obey and honor them
and love them as much as they love us.
The Fourth Word
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
This line of Jesus was the cry of his heart. By calling out to God, Jesus showed us that he could be
vulnerable. In today’s generation, many people are afraid to be vulnerable because they think it may be
mistaken for weakness. But showing our sensitive side is actually a sign of strength. It shows people that
we’re not afraid to admit that we have shortcomings, because we know that God loves us anyway. We
 must also bear in mind that God is always there for us, most especially in the rough times. He always
carries us like He always does.

The Fifth Word

“I thirst.”
John 19:28
Jesus was not only thirsty for drink. He was thirsty for our souls. He longs for our deepest love
and understanding for him. Therefore, as children of Him, we must always seek for Him. We must
always long for His presence in our lives. We must always deepen our faith in Him and love Him worth
all our heart, might and soul.

The Sixth Word

“When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished”; he bowed his head and handed over the
spirit.
John 19:30
This line depicts Jesus’s victory. Jesus had done what he had been born to do. He had fulfilled his
Father’s plan. He had saved us from our sins. It was not simply mean that death was upon him, but
rather that He fulfilled his mission, and, because he was God, willingly laid down his own life. His
preaching, miracles, and finally His earthly suffering would soon be over. His ministry and resulting
death would pay the debt of sin for all humanity. It is actually the start. The start for us to Glorify and
praise Him for what he had done for us.

The Seventh Word

“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Luke: 23:46

These are the very last words Jesus spoke on the Cross before His final breath. Jesus is willingly
giving up His soul to His Father in Heaven. Jesus has been perfectly obedient to His father’s will. It is here
that the Lamb of God has been slain for our sins. As Catholics, we must always remember to be like
Jesus at all times. We must learn to surrender everything God and to always trust His plans for us.