Lenten Reflections

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By Abbot Matthew Leavy, O.S.B.

It is said that the hour of departure is always an hour of deepened affection. Hence, we human beings treasure the last words of one whom we love. We remember those words and ponder their message. Let us reflect on the first of the seven last words uttered by Jesus upon the Cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

No doubt the executioners of Jesus and the onlookers were shocked. They expected Jesus to cry out in pain and anger, as everyone before him did when pinned to the wood of the cross. But he didn’t. In fact, the attitude of Jesus on the cross was not typical, by any measure. Senece wrote that those who were crucified usually cursed the day of their birth, the executioners, their mothers, and even spit on their families and the onlookers. Cicero recorded that at times it was necessary to cut out the tongues of those being crucified simply to put an end to their terrible blasphemies. And so the executioners surely expected last words from Jesus--but not the ones they heard.

The Scribes and Pharisees too awaited Jesus’ reaction. They were quite sure that he who had preached “love your enemies” and “Do good to them that hate you” would now forget those nice words, now that his hands and feet had been cruelly and painfully nailed to the cross. They felt that the excruciating and agonizing pains would simply scatter to the winds any of this preacher's pious, idealistic talk.

And so all of them would be shocked and surprised at the first of those last words: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

“Forgive them…” Forgive whom? His enemies? The soldier in the courtroom of Caiaphas who struck him? Pilate? Herod? The soldiers who scourged him? Judas who betrayed him? Peter who denied him? The rest of his friends who ran away in fear? The crowds who clamored for the release of Barabas? Yes, yes, yes, these and countless more.

Perfectly in accord with the message of his preaching about forgiveness, Jesus verifies these words with actual deeds of forgiveness. Jesus verifies these words with actual deeds of forgiveness. Who could ever question the validity of these words and when they consider the pulpit from which they were preached? And more--they were preached and are still preached to me and to you.

What is our typical response? “But Lord, you don’t really understand how hurt, how misunderstood, how unjustly treated I am. The people I haven’t forgiven are selfish or sick or sometimes even evil and malicious. Besides, the wounds they have inflicted still hurt, my body and my emotions are still vulnerable in those areas of hurt. I’m only human--what do you expect, miracles? Is it really possible to forgive? Even when I want to I’m frequently unable to.

The Lord responds to such objections in the words of today’s liturgy: “O you who pass by, see if there is any suffering like my suffering?” And if we ponder this question deeply and answer it honestly, we must conclude that never was there physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering like unto his--and thus, never was there forgiveness like unto his. And so he does understand, and yet demands that we forgive.

As we ponder these last words and gaze upon the crucified Lord whose deeds bear faithful witness to those words, let us consider our wounds, our list of hurts and grievances, our lack of forgiveness, in the light of His pain and His example. Let us also earnestly ask for the grace to be able to pray with sincerity of heart, every day if necessary, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”