These are meditations on the Seven Last Words of Jesus for Holy Week. Those planning to do our Good Friday vigil should wait until Friday to read these. I wanted to share a couple each day for those who won’t be participating. 

What if we let Jesus’ dying words shape how we live out the rest of our days?

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)

Again, Jesus showed his selfless character in that even while he was dying, he was thinking about the needs of others. In the midst of his suffering and gasping for breath, he took the time to make sure his mother would be looked after when he was gone by putting her into the care of “the disciple whom Jesus loved” who we assume was John. Jesus wasn’t just thinking about the redemption of the entire world, but also very practical matters that would impact his family when he left this earth. 

Our decisions as parents and children can live on well beyond our death. Do we “get our affairs in order” now while we are still healthy, or let it all fall on our children after we die? Do we have a Living Will in place and up to date so there’s no legal battles amongst our children/heirs? Are we making lifestyle choices today for the sake of those who depend on us and want us around for many more years? Likewise, do we need to force the issue with our aging parents and get them to start thinking about such things?

These are convicting questions, but a powerful way we live out the commandment to “Honor your father and mother,” and to “in humility consider others above ourselves” (Phil. 2:3-4).

Reflection: 

1. So, if you were to get sick tomorrow and die within a week, are your affairs in order? 
2. What tasks or unfinished business might God nudge you to take care of before it is too late?