Lenten Meditations – 14 April – With Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900) Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Sacred Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ”
“Short Meditations for Lent”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Monday in Holy Week
The Dereliction of Jesus on the Cross
Read St Mark xv:33-36
[33] And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. [34] And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud Voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? [35] And some of the standers by hearing, said: Behold He calleth Elias. [36] And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar and putting it upon a reed, gave Him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take Mim down. [Mark 15:33-36]
+1. Our Lord had for a long time been silent. A thick darkness had gathered; most of the spectators had departed in fear. The mocking Pharisees had been awed to silence. Few were left save the soldiers, St John and a faithful group of holy women.
All of a sudden. a piercing cry from the Divine Sufferer breaks the silence:
“My God , My God , why hast Thou forsaken Me ?”
These words were an expression of the thick darkness which Our Lord had permitted to gather around His human soul and to hide from Him, as it were, the face of His Eternal Father.
This desolation was, by far, the greatest of all the unspeakable sufferings of the Son of God.
+2. What was its cause?
Nothing else but sin.
He was made sin for us and having thus identified Himself with the sins of men, as far as was possible for the sinless Lamb of God, He allowed Himself to experience, to the utmost degree which He could, the awful misery which is the consequence of sin – the black, dark hopelessness (if the word is a lawful one) which results to the sinner whom God forsakes! This consequence of sin, Jesus took upon Himself to save men from the eternal remorse and despair which otherwise would have been their lot.
+3. This cry of Jesus is a model prayer for us in times of darkness and desolation.
We sometimes feel as if God has forsaken us and cry out in our misery and deep distress.
We are always safe in echoing Jesus’ words and He, Who hears us use them, will remember His own dereliction and help us in ours.
AnaStpaul 
I, certainly no theologian, have always thought those words cried out by our weak and dying Lord to be a reference to what we know as Psalm 22. Over the years, I’ve heard many thoughts about those words but have yet to change my thinking. Christs’ last homily- the prophetic song of sorrows. I guess that’s just one man’s opinion.
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Hi Hughie I am having problems and am struggling to reply and like comments – its the Techies working in the background for more than a week already! Fortunately I know this from many occasions of past experience or I would be rather distressed.
Anyway, in reply to your devout and holy comment – I do not see any difference in what Fr Clarke says and what you are saying. YES – Jesus is quoting and fulfilling Sacred Scripture – without a doubt He is quoting David’s Psalm BUT Fr Clarke is not denying this. Rather he is explaining the cause of that heart-felt and sad Cry of our Beloved Lord.
What say you?
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I see your point and as I tend to oversimplify most things I agree that he and others are more articulate and profound than I.
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I do agree with the overs implication issue Hughie – Our Lord spoke the wwords of Sacred Scripture, especially the Prophets but also David and other Psalmists many times.
If your thesis is correct that you would have to search out every syllable He ever said and reevaluate their meaning in the light of Jesus having repeated them. The entire Old Testament is fulfilled by Our Lord Jesus and, therefore, all is completed in Him.
Bless your Sacred Triduum Hughie 🙏🤗❤
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