Conference 1: Listening to Jesus’ Seven Words from the Cross, but doing this in union with Our Lady . To understand what that means, lets not jump immediately into the seven last words, but rather, let’s look at the reality of crucifixion. It was not Christians who lifted the cross up first. It was a statement, and most cruel death statement, the Romans frequently used in and before Jesus’ time. Defy Roman power, and see what happens to you was the message to all to see. Crucifixion is not an efficient way to kill someone. But it made a statement. For the long and lingering groans normally heard from the cross, with family members weeping at the foot of the cross, was a common sight to show the might of the Romans.
In the middle of this is Jesus. His silence on Good Friday, make this all the more striking. It puzzles the Romans when Jesus does not make a statement, in an attempt to save himself from such a death. Jesus makes no statement to the world. The great teacher, that many heard and moved so many hearts with his speaking and preaching, now makes no statement to the world on Good Friday. His was a movement largely of silence.
Fr. Hugh explores this silence and what makes it very curious to the world. He also sets the scene when Jesus, now on The Cross, does begin to speak and the dramatic impact it now has on the world for His Last sermon to the world.
The Last Words are significant words, especially when one knows that they indeed will be the last of one’s life. The Seven Last Words are not found in any one Gospel. Indeed, the fullness of the Gospel are found in these words. To hear these Seven Words, is to listen to the Gospel. What that means is further explained within the audio. Just to list them, since the second and third conference will cover them in detail, they are:
There are two ways Jesus has given to us to understand His sacrifice on The Cross. If indeed we are serious and engaging with the words Jesus gives us, we need to turn to Our Lady who is the greatest example of what this and what that means. Fr. Hugh elaborates on this during this first conference.
Conference #2: Prayerful Words of Mercy, Anguish & Peace
There is a fundamental structure to the Seven Words that we have of Our Lord from the Cross. The order of the words is significant in terms of who is being spoken to and the kind of speech that we have from Our Lord.
When we mediate on the Lord, we often think of His preaching as well as His miracles. We don’t often think of Jesus at prayer. Yet the Gospels make it a point that Jesus found time to pray, and that prayer was fundamental to Jesus’ life and His’ activities. We don’t meditate on this enough, yet, three of the Seven Last Words are indeed prayers. #1, #4 and #7 Words are all prayers. The beginning, the middle and the end. These Words are not addressed to us / the world. We were allowed to hear them, but they are addressed to the Father.
Within the audio, these prayers are further examined in detail.
Conference #3: Words that Save and Reveal
Conference #2 ended with the last of the Prayers (Word #7: Father, into Your Hands I commend my Spirit). Conference #3 begins with informing us on How Mary has two very special ways in which she relates to these last Words of Jesus.
Words #2 and #3 are further explained as these Words are what He says to other people. The 2nd Word is a response to Jesus completing His Prayer, His Word #1. In discussing Word #2, after explaining the significance, Fr. Hugh tells the story of the good and bad thieves. These two thieves are the only two people that died the same way as Jesus, at the very same time. An amazing story that had many in the audience on the verge of tears.
Words #5 and #6 are Words that He speaks about Himself and His work. I Thirst (#5) is the shortest. In this Word, he is not talking to His Father, or Our Lady, or to anyone in particular. He also is not requesting something to drink. It is much more and much deeper than that. The audio explains this Word in further detail.
In Word #6, there is more here than just the physical sacrifice on The Cross. His work was not finished when He was nailed to The Cross. He still needed to behold his Mother and His disciple that He loved. His Work includes finishing the Incarnation. When He came, He took on everything for us. Even on The Cross, he takes on death for us. There is more to this Word than this, and the conference reveals this in detail.
So, as it is explained, we have the Prayers (#1, #4 and #7), we have speaking to the world (#2 and #3), as well as speaking about Himself and His works (#5 and #6). Listen to each of these conferences in order. Listen to the Seven Last Words, and gain a better perspective of Mary also at the foot of the Cross.
Conference 1: Listening to Jesus’ Seven Words from the Cross, but doing this in union with Our Lady
Conference #2: Prayerful Words of Mercy, Anguish & Peace
Conference #3: Words that Save and Reveal
