A Prayer of Reverence and Reflection on the Sacrifice of Christ
"From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children." - Matthew 27:45-56
Heavenly Father,
In the sacred moment of Your Son's crucifixion, we are reminded of the depths of Your love, mercy, and grace. As we gather in prayer today, we reflect on the passage from Matthew 27:45-56, where darkness enveloped the land, a harbinger of the weight of sin that was borne by Jesus.
"From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land."
O Lord, how heavy was that darkness, a symbol of the separation from You that He endured on our behalf. We bow our heads in humility, acknowledging that our sins contributed to that darkness. Yet, even in our shame, we see the light of Your grace piercing through the shadows, revealing the incredible sacrifice made for us. May we never forget that in those moments of despair, You were still sovereign, weaving together a tapestry of redemption that would one day offer us salvation.
As the weight of sin brought forth despair, we hear the cry of Jesus resonate through the ages:
"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
In these poignant words, we witness the profound anguish of Christ. His cry echoes our own times of feeling abandoned and lost. Father, help us to remember that in our darkest hours, when we feel forsaken, You are still present, tenderly holding us in Your love. Teach us to embrace this relationship, to seek You earnestly, and to trust in Your divine plan even when we do not understand.
Lord, we also reflect on those who stood there, witnessing the torment of Your Son. Some heard the words and shouted, "This man calleth for Elias." They were confused and deaf to the truth of Your presence. We pray for the eyes of our hearts to be opened, to clearly see Your work in our lives. May we be attentive to Your voice amidst the chaos and the clamor of this world, quick to respond with faith rather than skepticism.
As Jesus suffered, we see His care for others, even in His agony. The soldier who took a sponge and filled it with vinegar offered a small act of comfort. Help us, Father, to extend compassion and kindness to those who suffer in our midst. Let us be Your hands and feet, reflecting the love of Christ in tangible ways.
And yet, in the moment Jesus "yielded up the ghost," something miraculous occurred:
"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent."
O God, You tore apart the veil that separated us from Your holy presence! What an incredible gift of access You have given us! We stand in awe of the sacrifice that made this possible. May we boldly approach Your throne of grace, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation, knowing that the price has been paid in full.
"And many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection…"
We rejoice in the hope of resurrection! Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, death does not have the final say. Help us, Lord, to live in the light of the resurrection, to share this hope with others, and to encourage those around us in their walk of faith. We remember the centurion who, witnessing all these events, proclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God." May our lives be testimonies that declare Your glory, drawing others to You through our words and actions.
Finally, we lift up the women who followed Jesus, ministering to Him in faithful service. May we, too, find ways to serve and support those in ministry today, being a source of encouragement and love.
As we reflect on this sacred passage and the events of Good Friday, may our hearts be stirred to deeper devotion, a closer walk with You, and a profound understanding of the price paid for our salvation. We pray all this in the precious name of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Amen.
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Matthew 27:45-56 Artwork
"From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons." - Matthew 27:45-56
Matthew 27:45-56 - "From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons."
Matthew 27:56 - "Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children."
Matthew 27:45 - "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."
"Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children." - Matthew 27:56
Matthew 27:55-56 - "And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children."
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." - Matthew 27:45
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." - Matthew 27:45
Matthew 13:56 - "And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?"
Matthew 26:56 - "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
Matthew 24:45-51
Matthew 22:45 - "If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?"
"And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?" - Matthew 13:56
Matthew 13:45 - "¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:"
Matthew 21:45 - "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."
"And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children." - Matthew 27:55-56
Matthew 5:45 KJVA (45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
"But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled." - Matthew 26:56
Matthew 27:46
Matthew 27:35
Matthew 24:27
Matthew 27:26
Matthew 27:26
Matthew 27: 38
Matthew 5:45 - "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
Matthew 25:45 - "Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."
Matthew 24:45 - "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?"
"If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" - Matthew 22:45
Matthew 27:27 - "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers."
Matthew 7:24-27