A Holy Week reflection in word and image
The last word that came from Jesus on the cross was, “Tetelestai!”.
Patrick O’Carrigan MSC explains it is the Greek word that a winner shouts in an Olympic contest. We present one of his Crucifixion pictures and one of the 12th Station of the Cross
Below is Roger Purcell’s reflection on this word, which he composed in 2016.
The sky grows dark and foreboding
The wind stirs the dust and sand
Whipping around in the crowd.
People grow fearful staring at the sky
In fright of the strange event
They turn to leave, to hurry home
The show is over, the criminals hung up
They turn to go, turning back,
The figure hung high cried out,
Cries in a loud voice, shouts loudly,
“It is accomplished, “Tetelestai”
It is done!! I have won!!”
They turn to stare at him hung,
Beaten, bloodied, naked before all
Shamed, belittled before the world
They came from afar for the feast
Travelled from foreign lands
They know and understand the cry
The athletes cry of victory and success
But how can he cry out this way
Beaten, bloodied, naked before all
Shamed, belittled before the world
But he cries out loudly, loudly shouting
He has accomplished, has won
In the failure, the shame and the pain
He is victorious
vNo weak muttering, “it is over, finished”
Beaten, bloodied, naked before all
Shamed, belittled before the world
The proclamation of victory
In this I know him, I see him,
In pain and effort, in anxiety and work,
I have won, have accomplished
It is done, it is finished!!
In this he knows me, sees me
In this the knowing is twofold
The understanding, the connection is complete
I know him and he knows me
It is done, it is accomplished.
