I am
thirsty
The last word, “I am thirsty” or “I thirst,” is
fit within the context of the John 19:26-30, where three of the Last Words
appear.
It is bracketed between John 19:26-27, where
Christ said to Mary, “Woman, here is your son,” and to John he said, “Here is
your mother.” (Christ, as the oldest son
of Mary, binds her with John, to care for her spiritual needs, joining her physical
family with the family of Christ’s ministry) and John 19:30, where Christ
proclaims “It is finished.”
In between, the Gospel of John tells us:
“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that
Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said,“I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar
was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the
hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.”
This lament, “I am thirsty” is part of the
ancient psalm which Christ prayed on the cross. Christ is praying the psalms,
even as His people are putting him to death.
Just as last of the words we just heard, “My God,
my God, Why have you forsaken me?” is from Psalm 22:1, Christ’s cry for
something to drink is the lament of Psalm 22:15, which reads, “My mouth is
dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay
me in the dust of death.”
And, the response of the guards, to give him
bitter vinegar, is a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21, where it reads, “They put gall in my food and gave me
vinegar for my thirst”.
This phrase, I thirst, is a connection with his
people, with the ancient psalm, with the struggles of the people of God and
through their history and a reminder of the response of the world versus the
respond of God to our deepest needs.
Christ fulfills scripture, drinks of the
bitterness of the world and prepares for his final words, when “It is Finished”.
How many times have we felt dry, like the dry
bones of Ezekiel, in the dust, the desert, the wilderness, surrounded by
temptations. We are spiritually dry, feeling lost, alone, as if God has
forsaken us.
We turn to the world and the world gives us
bitter vinegar, not what God offers.
God give us life-giving water of the word and the
wellspring of presence, his Holy Spirit and a life with him in heaven, our
reward, if we turn from the world and trust in God and the risen Christ.
Amen
March
29, 2013
Good
Friday
Seven Last Words Service
Opening
prayer
Father forgive them, for they know not
what they do (Elisha Burns)
(Luke 23:34).
Truly, I say to you, today you will be
with me in paradise (Marshall Burns)
(Luke 23:43)
Woman, behold your son: behold your
mother (Richard Fleury)
(John 19:26-27).
My God, My God, why have you forsaken
me? (Mark Cioffi)
(Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).
I thirst (Ray Foss)
(John 19:28).
It is finished (Kathy Akerman)
(John
19:30).
Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit (Pastor Ruth Foss)
(Luke 23:46).
&
The Voice of
God. . . Mary, The Mother of Jesus
This
Lenten Season, we are doing something a little different. We are doing Lenten
Dramas from: http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/home.htm
It is called "The Voice of God". We are hearing conversations between
God and some of the characters that took part in Passion Week. It has been a
"moving experience" for all. . .
February
13 2013 Ash Wednesday – James (portrayed
by Diane Mitchell)
February
17, 2013 – Judas (portrayal by Ray Foss)
February
24, 2013 – Peter (portrayal by Marshall
Burns)
March
3, 2013 – Pilate (portrayed by Richard
Fleury)
March
10, 2013 – Barabbas (portrayed by Mark
Cioffi)
March
17, 2013 - Dysmas (Thief on the cross)
(portrayed by Ray Foss)
March
24, 2013 Palm Sunday
March
28, 2013 Maundy Thursday – The Centurion
(portrayed by Mark Cioffi)
March
29, 2013 Good Friday - Mary Mother of Jesus (portrayed by Kathy Akerman)
March
31, 2013 Easter Sunday! - The Gardner (portrayed by Mary Ann Cioffi)
led
by Pastor Ruth Foss
A Handmaiden of the Lord
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
Good
Friday
March
29, 2013
All
of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved.
Contact me at Ray
Foss for usage. See all 23,090+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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