Saturday April 20

Matthew 27:27-61

Mary Erickson

From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus was both God and man. As a man, Jesus experienced and felt the things we do. When my mother passed away in August, I know Jesus knew how I was feeling.  Jesus experienced the same loss and pain that I was feeling when his friend Lazarus died. Jesus knows what it’s like to have friends disappoint or abandon you. He experienced this with Judas and Peter. Jesus knows what it is like to be alone, but knew that he, like us, was never alone. God is with us always. Jesus prayed on the cross. When a person prays, they have faith and trust. Jesus’ prayer shows that he trusted God and knew God had not abandoned him.

When Jesus cried, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”, he knew God had not abandoned Him. He was quoting a very familiar Psalm and hymn for the Jews. Psalm 22 begins with despair and abandonment. But Jesus knew how the Psalm ended. It ends with rejoicing because God is righteous and always with us.

Questions for reflection:

• Psalm 22, do you notice how the cry of the Psalmist changes from despair to praise?

• Have you felt alone or disappointed in others? If so, what did you do?

Prayer:

Lord, help me to remember that you are with me always and that you understand how I feel. In Jesus name, Amen.