January 21, 2011 – Psalms 22

Words spoken from Calvary

This psalms starts off so negatively and that is what we hear Christ say on the cross, but it ends so joyfully.  I don’t know if I have ever read this psalm in its entirety.  Think about this when we read about Christ on the cross tomorrow.  Christ knew these psalms by heart, along with most of the Jews, especially those that were devote.  Hearing Him begin this psalm would have brought hope to those that reflected on what He was saying.  Those that didn’t know would think He was separated from God, but it is entirely the opposite.  This psalm starts from the human perspective, a human understanding, that when things are at there worst, God has left us.  But the psalm is telling us that isn’t true.  God was there and “Did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out.” 

Those that think Christ quoting this and it being a separation are like those that mocked Christ on the cross.   They are ones who question cruelty in a world created by a loving God.  They question suffering and why it would exist if God loves us.  God doesn’t take away our suffering no more than he took away Christ suffering.  Suffering brings us to God so that we can “eat our fill”, “enjoy life forever”.  When Christ says this from the cross, He is reaching back into the scriptures to praise God.  In all His agony and suffering, He is teaching us from the cross that suffering is not to be avoided, being shunned is not a negative, being mocked or unpopular are not things that we should live our lives worrying about.  These are what bring us to God, how we show our love for Him and our willingness to not belong to the world.  I wish this psalm would be fully read at Mass around Easter so that we could really understand Christ words on the cross and the praise that He does during His most trying time.