Speak Lord, I am listening

Reflective Thoughts

From the four Gospels come seven sayings spoken by Christ on the Cross. These words are more than historical moments; they reach into our own lives and speak personally to each of us.

“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) – Teach us to mirror that same mercy - letting go of resentment, choosing compassion over retaliation, and seeing others through the lens of grace.

“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) – God hears even our faintest cry for redemption, meeting us with a mercy that restores hope.

“Woman, behold, your son.” (John 19:26) “Behold, your mother.” (John 19:27) – In these words, Christ places us lovingly under His mother’s care, inviting us into the family of God urging us to care for another. 

 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34) – When Jesus prays Psalm 22 in Aramaic, it highlights His full humanity. In moments of anguish, we naturally cry out in the language closest to our hearts, and Jesus does the same. His words express both the weight of His suffering and His obedience to God’s purpose. This moment invites us to approach our own hardships with faith, trusting that God can transform suffering into grace.

“I thirst.” (John 19:28) – These words unveil the heart of God, yearning for our love and our presence. Christ’s suffering becomes the place where our brokenness is met with His unending desire to draw us back to Himself.

“It is finished.” (John 19:30) – Jesus brings His purpose to completion, showing us what wholehearted obedience looks like. We too are given a mission—to be instruments of His love—and we are invited to fulfill it with the same devotion as we journey back to Him.

“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46) – In this final surrender, Christ shows us the path home. We too hope for the day when, having fulfilled the mission entrusted to us, we return to the Father’s embrace.