“It is finished.” He had completed the work he was sent to do. Jesus Christ was sent into a world that was beaten, bruised, and broken, much like his body on the cross. To a people tortured by sin and torn by strife, much like the world we live in today. He was sent to not just heal the people, but to heal the broken relationship with God, that breach that happened in the Garden of Eden so long ago. “And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit” to his Father.

After his death, the disciples were terrified and scattered for fear of being themselves hoisted up on a cross. Two brave souls who took considerable risk stepped forward. Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus and Nicodemus joined him, “bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes” to prepare the body for a Jewish burial. As Joseph and Nicodemus came to care for him, Jesus comes to care for us. 

Our world is so very much in need of a Savior, to come to heal us, to give us that path out of sin and to a healed relationship with God. We at times are very much beaten, bruised and broken. We may feel like saying, “It is finished” and give up trying to do good in this world. We so very much need Holy Week and Easter.

Yet, this sacrifice, this saving action, this love comes to us not just at Easter, but every time we come to Mass. 

Every time we face this altar and hear those familiar words, “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body which will be given up for you.” And, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” When we hear that, we are re-presented with his very same sacrifice, the Paschal Mystery in action. He said his Body will be given up for us and it was. He says, “Do this in memory of me” and so we should.

When we hear those words, Jesus is speaking to us through the priest, offering us his Body so that we can become the Body of Christ. Every time we come to Mass, Jesus re-presents Holy Week to us, and we are able to become more and more the Body of Christ. And by becoming the Body of Christ, we have access to the Father and eternity… because of what Jesus did for us. 

As Joseph and Nicodemus cared for the body of Jesus, Jesus too cares for us. He helps heal our bruises and brokenness. He replaces worry with hope. He gives us the tools and strength to deal with this tortured world, and when our tank is running low, he invites us right back here to this altar to top off the tank. To become more and more the Body of Christ proving that his work for us, in fact, is never finished…until our life has ended, and he hands over our spirit to his Father.