‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani”

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Good Friday Homily

Holy Names Church

Memphis, TN, USA

April 22, 2011

Crucifixion was invented by the Persians, the Romans only perfected it. It was a crude way of killing criminals and breakers of the law. It was a method of carrying out capital punishment in the days gone by. On the day of the crucifixion of a criminal, people were asked to vacate the main streets and stand by the road side as the criminal was led on a crucifixion procession accompanied by two judges. The reason why two judges accompanied the criminal on this crucifixion procession is in case there is any onlooker who might have a genuine reason why the criminal should not be crucified. If there is any spectator who has a cogent reason (or reasons) why the crucifixion about to be carried out should not go on, he or she will be heard. The case of the criminal will be tried again immediately on the spot. If he is found innocent, he will be freed immediately. If not, he will be killed by crucifixion.

Sisters and brothers, Jesus too, like all other criminals was subjected to this process. He had his own crucifixion procession as he was being led to Golgotha. The fourteen Stations of the Cross is the summary of the Lord’s crucifixion procession experience. There were two judges following him to retry his case if there was any sympathizer with genuine reasons. Like other crucifixion processions, there was a huge crowd of people watching Jesus as he carried his heavy cross and walked the streets. But incredibly unbelievable, no one from the crowd came out to speak in his favor. There was no one with genuine and honest reasons in favor of the Lord. Nobody! No single individual spoke out to defend him. Meanwhile, some of the five thousand and four thousand people he fed were there, but none found any reason why the Son of Man should not be killed. Some of the lame he made to walk, some of the blind he made to see, some of the dumb and mute he made to talk, some of the deaf he made to hear were all present. But none condemned the killing of an innocent and righteous man. Some of those he healed their illnesses, those he liberated from the grip of demons, those who he comforted, those he forgave their sins, those he saved, those he raised from the dead and their family members were present. But none said, “This man is innocent, and I can prove it.” Some of those who received all sorts of miracles from him were there, some of those who listened to his message, a message with a difference where there. Of course his disciples had deserted him. Peter who was the only one present denied him. No one was courageous enough to condemn the killing of a righteous innocent man.

Jesus was rejected and treated like a common criminal. It was as if he incurred public hatred. Even some of those who believed in him and shouted, “Hosanna” when he entered Jerusalem were present during his crucifixion procession. But none spoke out on his behalf. They remained silent and probably died in their silence. Jesus was despised as if he had committed an abominable act. But the Acts of Apostles 10:38 says he was going about doing good and healing all those who were under the power of the devil.

Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem with his cross, and with no one to declare that he was innocent. When he got to Golgotha, a place of skull, they cruelly crucified the Redeemer of humanity. Before he expired, Jesus experienced serious bodily and psychological pain. Psychological pain is more painful because it is a pain within a pain. The Lord felt this pain as a result of the abandonment and rejection he received. Therefore, “At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46).

The Lord’s cry on the cross was quoted in Aramaic, and that was why those standing near did not understand what he said. The gospel says, “When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’”(Mark 15:35-36; Matthew 27:47, 49). They misunderstood! They were not quite sure exactly what it was that Jesus had said.

Each year during the Holy Week, specifically on Good Friday, we Catholics stand once again near the cross and hear Jesus cry again, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani.” Unlike the people who first heard Jesus cried out, we know exactly what he said, and we too recognize it as the opening verse of Psalm 22. But do we really know what it means? Did Jesus despair on the cross?

It is said that those crucified the way Jesus was crucified usually last up to 24 hours before giving up the ghost. But Jesus lasted just for three hours and then died. Why? Some argue that he suffered so much before he was eventually crucified. He was scourged at the pillar; he fell thrice on the way; he had sharp crown of thorns on this head which made him loose so much blood. Another reason given why Jesus lasted for only three hours before giving up the ghost is because of the weight of sin of humanity. A holy priest once said that immediately Jesus screamed, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” all the sins ever committed and that will be committed rushed into him. All these sins weighed him down and he died. Love for us was responsible for this great pain, sorrow and agony.

Jesus did not come to save himself. He came to save humanity. Sad enough, those he came to save killed him. But good enough, his death has brought life to us all. His death is the beginning of our life. He died that we may live. He became the guilty one that we may become innocent. His death has brought the end of everlasting sorrow.

The death of the Lord has given a new meaning to death. Through his death, the meaning of death has, as it were, been changed from the inside. Instead of representing the ultimate separation, it is now the path to greater union. Jesus does not bring us deliverance from death but deliverance through death. We also need to realize that Jesus suffered and died because of his fidelity to God’s will in his life. His preaching was good news for the poor; he ate with publicans and sinners. Many, including both political and religious leaders, found this offensive and threatening. If we show fidelity to the teaching and example of Jesus, we can face similar reactions. We may not face actual death. But we can face opposition and mockery in lesser, more subtle ways that are still painful.

“Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” is a cry of abandonment. It is a cry of rejection. The Lord cried that cry not because his Father has abandoned him. He lamented because he did not experience the Father’s love in the world. He did not find love. He did not find compassion. He did not find mercy. He did not find true friendship in the world. Jesus in his divinity knew that his Father has not abandoned or rejected him. After all, in John 14: 10, he had testified that he is in the Father and the Father is also in him. But he cried “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” because he was abandoned and rejected by all. Though the Father has not abandoned him, but he has been abandoned by his disciples and by all those who received one favor or the other from him. Even those who tried to crown him their king were no where to be found. The people who previously shouted “Hosanna” have all left him. In his humanity, Jesus felt alone and abandoned.

When confronted by suffering, evil, and abandonment, we usually ask the question why. This difficult question about the reality of evil in the world is never asked or put to the world, even though it is from the world that suffering and evil often come from. The question is put to God because God is the creator and Lord of the world. When we suffer, we usually don’t question the world. We question God. “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” therefore is not a cry of rejection of God, rather a cry of rejection of the world. It is a human cry. It is a cry familiar to all of us. Jesus cried to his Father asking not why his Father abandoned him, but why his Father let the world abandon him. He asked not why his Father abandoned him but why his Father allowed him to be abandoned. It is a similar question of why usually asked by those who suffer, “Who O Lord do I suffer?”

Jesus cried “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” because he was rejected and abandoned by those he came to save. How is the Lord rejected and abandoned today? Like the people of Jesus’ time, many still reject him today. The world has not embraced the peace and the salvation he brought. We still live in a very hostile world where human life is recklessly abused, violated and butchered. Christians who are supposed to be the salt of the earth have become tasteless. Christians who are supposed to be the light of the world are turning their lights dim. Today, we abandon the Lord by the thoughts we love to entertain, by the things we love to see, by the actions we love to indulge in, by the words we love to speak, by the places we love to go.

Today we abandon Jesus by abandoning virtues, moral living, and holy lifestyle. We abandon Jesus by abandoning good deeds. We abandon the Lord by abandoning charity, by not fanning the flame of our faith, by not hoping in the Lord. When we abandon compassion, we abandon Jesus. If we abandon helping those in need, we abandon Jesus. If you want to abandon the Lord, then abandon striving to live in peace with all people. If you want to abandon the Lord, then abandon holiness. If you want to abandon Jesus, abandon striving for righteousness and upright living. Those who refuse to acknowledge their sinfulness and their need for confession and reconciliation are being in denial of themselves and in denial of the Lord. Pride abandons the Lord, but humility embraces him. Only a humble person has a real need of the Lord. Pride says you don’t need him.

The only thing God expects us to abandon is sin, not his Son!