“It is Finished”

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

As we approach Holy Week and the liturgical culmination of the Lord’s work of Redemption during His Passion, especially on the Cross, I would like to reflect briefly on the very last words of our Lord according to St. John, “He said, ‘It is finished.’ And bowing His head, He handed over the spirit.” Jn 19:30

While modern Catholic exegetes such as Scott Hahn and Brandt Pitre explain marvelously how these words, “It is finished”, could be intended by our Lord to signal the conclusion of the Last Supper and His entering of the kingdom of Heaven, something I find extremely inspiring and meaningful, I would like to point out a simpler inspiration of my own about these words.

Jesus is declaring the finish or completion of something very important as they are the very last words He utters in His mortal life! Where there is a finish there must be a beginning. And what is interesting is that the very first words spoken by our Lord at the outset of His public life are when He “came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then He allowed him.” Mt 3:14-16

It is at His baptism of repentance by John that Jesus identified Himself with us, not only as a real man sharing our human nature, but also when He took on the “form of a slave” or as a hymn for the feast sings, “He comes to bear the sins of all mankind”. It is in the river Jordan that Jesus begins His work of our redemption that will culminate on the cross and His sacrificial death. St. Paul describes this theologically when he writes to the Corinthians, “God made Him who had no sin be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”. 2Cor 5:21

Immediately after His baptism, Jesus goes into the desert for 40 days to make prayer and penance and to endure the temptations of the devil, thus beginning the spiritual combat for our salvation. Notice that the devil leaves Him after being defeated “to return at another time”. (Cf. Lk 4:13) The battle is reengaged in the Garden of Gethsemani and culminates on the Cross. Yet, the concluding words of our Lord that “It is finished” do not signal a defeat in death but rather, as we know from His glorious resurrection, a victory accomplished!

Jesus once proclaimed: “I have a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” Luke 12:50 Jesus’ salvific work began with His “baptism of repentance” in the Jordan and finished with His baptism of suffering on the cross for our redemption! How relieved our dear Lord must have felt in being able to finally utter those words of completion?! May we offer Him consolation by gratitude for and compliance with the graces He won for us on Good Friday so as to celebrate joyously with Him and His Church on Easter Sunday!