Reflections
“My God, my God, why have you
abandoned me?”
David writes this psalm almost as
though it were planned to be part
of the Passion of Christ. In fact
the psalm becomes the prayer of
Christ at the time of his crucifixion
and speaks of the suffering that our
Savior experiences on our behalf.
People are the same today as they were back then, when Jesus was being led
to the cross. We scoff at him; we mock him;
we wag our heads and hurl insults at him.
Why?
Because he becomes contemptible in
our eyes. He reminds us that we are a
sinful people; he convicts us; he catches
us in the lie; he embarrasses us; he
exposes us; he accuses us of being
hypocrites.
He holds us to a higher standard;
He speaks directly to God;
He claims to be God's Son;
and we reject him for this; and mock him.
We do not move to assist him.
Let God rescue him –
“He relied on the Lord; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
These words of the psalm are the same
words used by those who conspired against
Jesus when he was dying on the cross.
They did not realize that the suffering and
death of an innocent servant would restore
life for sinful man. The words they spoke
were to be fulfilled, not by Jesus coming
down from the cross, but by sinful humanity
like us being delivered, forgiven,
and lifted up.
We are reminded by St Paul in today's second
reading that Christ takes the form of a slave,
obedient even to death for our sake.
(Philippians 2:7-8)
Isaiah in today's first reading speaks
about the Messiah long before his birth and
predicts that he will be beaten, and his beard
will be plucked. (Isaiah 50:4-7)
But the servant does not rebel (as Isaiah tells us).
He knows that he will not be put to shame.
God the Father is not far off, even when Jesus lies
hanging on the cross. The psalm describes the
Passion of Christ, and we know that what seemed
like a moment of weakness for Christ became a
source of strength for sinful humanity.
Ultimately God reverses this righteous man’s
condition. As our psalmist says, “But you, O Lord,
be not far from me; O my help, hasten to aid me.”
Hope returns, the righteous man is delivered, and he
celebrates his deliverance – “I will proclaim your name
to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will
praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Were you part of the crowd of evildoers who closed in on Christ, that our psalmist speaks about? Tell of what part you play even today in mocking Christ.
2. The psalm asks, 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?' Do you believe that our Lord was truly abandoned by the Father?
Sadly, I think any time I choose sin over God's will and rebel against the concept of WWJD (What would Jesus do?) I am mocking Christ. And even re-crucifying him to the cross. I say this with solemn heaviness in my heart. I am one of the blessed to know the Truth and to have chosen Jesus as my Savior. And yet, I still fall. Daily.
ReplyDeleteOne of my struggles is with the terrible sin of envy. I know that God's heart is so big that we can EACH be the "apple of his eye." (Several Scripture passages use this phrase, including Psalm 17:8, for example). However, the world's rules sometimes make me feel that God's love is zero sum -- that if a neighbor or her child has more success and blessing than I do, then I have less. In that line of thinking, life becomes unfair and I become unhappy, wallowing in my own self-pity. What folly! Even to write it embarrasses me.
The perfect lamb walked to his slaughter, in order to atone for all sins, for all of time. I really need only to take a few moments and meditate in front of a crucifix. If I gaze upon the lifeless body of Christ, I am reminded that God's love covers all. There IS ROOM for each and every one of us to be loved fully and completely. I need not seek validation elsewhere.
The feelings of abandonment the enemy throws at me can be cast off, at once.
Father God is incapable of abandoning any of his creations and certainly not His Son; by definition, He is pure love. Pure Love deigned to make this sacrifice -- it was part of the plan. And in His divinity, Jesus said "yes" and drank the cup of this most beautiful mission. May I be strengthened to drink my cup as well, without hesitation or fear. With the Lord by my side, my burdens are lightened... and the eternal perspective comes into view.