When a dying person has the strength to whisper, ‘Our Father,’ we may assume that his thoughts continue with the prayer his lips cannot finish. When the crucified Christ shouted the first dreadful line of this psalm, his mind must have turned toward its triumphant conclusion, thanking his Father that this dark path of abandonment led to the light beyond it. But Christ does not suffer alone, nor is he glorified alone. For better or worse, we are ‘in Christ’ in both suffering and joy. The feeling of abandonment and the uncertainty that accompany physical pain and ongoing weakness must be endured in faith, which offers no light but only the strength to do what we must.
If we experience physical, emotional, and mental suffering, we must remember that Christ also endured similar hardships. Because his suffering and death brought resurrection and hope to the world, we too have this hope for our salvation. Like the descendants of the psalmist who have continued to praise and serve God, we can also uphold this tradition and fulfill Jesus’ call in Matthew 28:19 to spread the Good News to all nations and generations.
After our confession, which is full of light, we will sing the radiant praise of the eternal “Alleluia.”