On this Divine Mercy Sunday we come to the last set two set of words that Jesus says from the Cross. Before we go to these last two sayings let us look at another quote from Fulton Sheen: "It is this St. Paul means when he says that we should fill up those things that are wanting to the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean our Lord on the Cross did not suffer all He could. It means rather that the physical, historical Christ suffered all He could in His own human nature, but that the Mystical Christ, which is Christ and us, has not suffered to our fullness. All the other good thieves in the history of the world have not yet admitted their wrong and pleaded for remembrances. Our Lord is now in heaven. He therefore can suffer no more in His human nature but He can suffer more in our human natures."

6. It is finished. - John 19:30
These simple words sum up what St. John has been trying to tell us over and over again in his Gospel. Jesus came and lived a life focused on one mission. He came to fulfill the Father's will. At our Baptism we too were given a mission from God. We were told to go forth and be a priest and by this we are sent forth to offer our lives as a pleasing sacrifice to the Father. Not just a part of our life but our whole life. We were sent forth from our Baptism and told to go and be a prophet by proclaiming the Father's love through both word and actions as Jesus did. Is there anyone out there who knows the Father better because of the life you are living? Finally we are sent forth to follow Jesus' example of servant leadership as we are commissioned as kings. Are we bringing honor to God's family by the lives we live or are we bringing dishonor?

Most people believe that in order to be like God, we must be all powerful, always in control, and always get our way. Jesus shows us at this moment that none of those things matter for at this moment he has none of these things and yet He still is God. What would be the one thing that if Jesus lost would make Him not God anymore? Love! The moment Jesus would stop loving He would stop being divine. Let us go forth then in our lives and stop fighting for power, control, and getting our ways and rather empty ourselves like God does out love.

We are not autonomous mini-gods but rather we are God's stewards.

7. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. - Luke 23:46
Now we move onto the last of the seven last words of Jesus. At the very moment of his apparent defeat, our King begins to enjoy His victory. The centurion who has overseen Christ's crucifixion now professes Jesus' divinity. The people who reviled Him now stumble home repenting. Joseph of Arimathea finally steps up and the women remain faithful. Most importantly Jesus, who became sin, for us has returned home. The Prodigal Son turns His life over to the Father and the Father is giving Him a new robe of eternal life.

In my life there have been many times where I have seen a small child throw a terrible temper tantrum and I am always impressed how parents can pick up the child and just hold the child close to their heart while often being hit and kicked by their little one. Finally the little one runs out of energy and then his or her needs can be addressed. The child is reassured that his or her parent is not going anywhere despite how mean the child has treated his or her parents. This is the image that comes to my mind. Adam and Eve questioned God's love for us. Jesus proves God's love for us by allowing us to do the worst thing we can do to Him - We killed God, and He still came back and more importantly still loved us. God's love is greater than anything we can do including death.

"There is a personal equation between that Cross and us. Life with its rebellions, its injustices, its sins, all played a role in the Crucifixion. We can no more wash our hands of our guilt than Pilate could wash his as he held them up under a noonday sun and declared himself innocent." - Archbishop Fulton Sheen