Today's Reading: Psalm 22 (Introit for Palmarum)
Daily Lectionary: Exodus 7:1-25; Mark 16:1-20
“But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Save Me from the lion's mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen!” (Psalm 22:19, 21)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. From the Cross, Jesus prays and fulfills today’s Psalm.
The chief priests and teachers surround Him like dogs surround their prey. They taunt Him. They mock Him. “He saved others, let Him save Himself. He trusted in God, let God deliver Him. If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”
He calls out to God for help. Be not far from me.But there’s no one to help. Surrounded, they wag their tongues at Him. He still looks to God for help. Jesus prays, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God always answers His prayers. Always. This time, He doesn’t answer. The Father turns his back on His beloved Son. He ignores His pleas. How could this happen?
Our sins did this. Our unfaithfulness, our despising of His Word, our misusing His Name, our disobeying our parents, our murderous thoughts and hate, our lust, our stealing, our deceitful tongues, our coveting everything in sight did this. We are the reason God abandons His Son.
We always hear that Jesus kept the whole Law for us. We also know that He suffered and died for our sins. Jesus did one thing that we don’t always talk about: He took upon our hell.
Yes, He takes it all—even hell itself. For on the Cross, He suffers the true hell: He’s abandoned by God. The Son of God, the Beloved of His Father, is truly alone. His Father turns His back on Him.
You are the baptized. You are a son of God. The holiness of the Son of God has been marked onto you in your Baptism. You will never be separated from God. You will never be abandoned. No matter how lonely you may feel, no matter how lonely you may be, the Father will never turn His back on you.
Jesus will pray tomorrow’s Introit on Good Friday. He will then fulfill it by being abandoned by God to save you. You cannot go to hell in Christ—not ever. There’s not a chance. Christ already suffered the true hell that was due you. You receive His heaven. That’s why Lent is happy. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head. They say ‘He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’ Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” (Psalm 22:1, 7-8, 11)