Again Jesus was in full command of the situation. He was on the cross because he had chosen to do the Father's will. On the cross he would remain till He could say: "Father it is all finished." The three hours or so that Jesus was on the cross were not spent in total absorption in His own sufferings. All Evangelists report different phrases which He uttered. The "seven last words" have captured the imagination of many writers, saints, and preachers. For the purpose of this short commentary it suffices to say that Jesus completed His human journey addressing Himself to all humanity.

Keeping in mind that Jesus could say a few words only if He had forced himself up from the nail on His feet, we could come to understand why He did not say much more than the little that He said. He came to die for our sins, so the first word on the cross is "Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing. " (Luke 23:34) He was being ridiculed and taunted by His enemies, by the soldiers, by the two crucified with Him. For all of them, and in them, for all of us He had come to forgive our twisted attitude against God. To His mother and to the disciple whom He loved as they consoled Him at the foot of the cross "Woman, there is your son. "(John 19:26) It was like saying, mother I will not abandon you, but John will take care of you. And to John "John there is your mother. "(John 19:26) Take care of her, she is the only thing I have left that I can call my own. As Jesus softly spoke these words He was pushing Himself up to open the cage of His chest in order to be able to breathe. It must have been an excruciating pain to change the position of His body pushing Himself up to breathe and then dropping down, unable to sustain the effort of his leg muscles. Jesus knew that His final hour was fast approaching, but every moment was under His control. He kept on trying to keep Himself alive to bring to completion the purpose for which He had come.

Unexpectedly one of the thieves crucified with Him, wondering why He had been condemned to die, addressed Him: "remember me when you are in your kingdom." Why did the thief say that? What had he seen in this man to ask for such a favor? Was he impressed by the sign placed above Jesus "Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews?" or was he impressed and moved by the fact that this man unlike himself and the other thief, was not cursing His plight, but was praying for His executioners and for His enemies. As he asked to be remembered he must have looked into the eyes of this man and he must have seen a spark of Its divinity. He had now a right to hear the response. Arid Jesus said to him: "today, you will be with me in Paradise!" (Luke 23:43) Jesus was surrounded by His enemies, but there were also a few good and generous friends who had dared to be there. His mother and John are there. But Jesus in one of His efforts in breathing says: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. " (Mt. 2 7:46) Yes unlike in the Garden of Gethsemane there is no Angel here to comfort and support Him. He is left totally alone, alone to atone for the sins of the world. And Jesus knows that in this abandonment He is soldering the broken link between God and men which had been broken at the Garden of Paradise.

One can just imagine how dry the mouth of Jesus must have been by now. He had lost a lot of blood, He had been sweating, by now He was feverish. The creator of all lowers Himself now to ask for a drop of water: "I am thirsty. " (John 19:28) What was Jesus thirsty for?

Jesus did not accept the wet sponge pressed against His lips. Jesus was thirsty for all men and women for whom He had come to die. He was thirsty because for many of them the shedding of Its blood, all the sufferings and torture to which He submitted Himself was going to be of no avail. But now He had done all He had come to do. He must have looked within His soul to see if He could find something more He could do for mankind. He had done everything that He the Son of God could do to pave the way for all mankind to seek and to find God. So in one last superhuman effort He pushes Himself up from His feet, He opens the cage of His chest, He takes a deep breath and, sure of Himself, that all He had been ordered by the Father had been accomplished, He looked up to heaven and uttered His last words: "It is accomplished! Into your hands I commit my spirit!" (Luke 23:46) With these words, St. Luke says, he breathed his last.

The gospel has a little note about Mary, the Mother, that sounds quite unusual, contrary to the law. Mary was standing at the foot of the cross not hysterical, not fainting, not screaming. The gospel tells us that she was "standing and weeping." How is it possible for a mother to see the son under torture without becoming hysterical? This is my personal explanation. Mary knew that her son was dying freely, willingly, for the redemption of mankind. She knew it so she went close to the soldier asking permission to get closer to her Son. I am sure the soldier said "no" because of the law. Mary without insisting moved back. When the officer saw the respect of Mary for the soldier, he told him to make an exception, to let the Mother come close to the cross.

Our Lord and the Blessed Mother spent hours together, in the evening during the winter around the fireplace praying and reciting the psalms and talking about the bible. Our Lord may have said, Mother, every year we go to the temple of Jerusalem to offer a lamb in atonement for the evil of our people. Suppose mother I offer myself to the Father, thus replacing the lamb. After all, almighty God is not going to drink the blood of the lamb. What he wants from us most of all is obedience, a willing heart. So mother, suppose, out of generosity, I offer myself to replace the lamb to be offered in sacrifice, in the temple of Jerusalem. Do you mother, have any objection?

I would presume the Blessed Mother would say: Son, no, I have no objection.

On another occasion Jesus may have said: Mother, the prophet made a description of the future redeemer. Such a description as to help the people identify the redeemer upon his arrival. He said suffering and humiliations will be the sign of identification. So Mother, if I have to suffer for the redemption of mankind, will you have any objections?

Son, No, I will be glad if you do. Never say no to God.

On another evening, sitting together, our Lord may have told the mother, that the prophet Isaiah talks about the future redeemer as a man of suffering. He talks in such a way as to indicate the flogging. It was extremely painful . Suppose that is what I have to suffer, the flogging ending in the crucifixion. Mother, suppose that is what they will do to me. Do you have any objection? And the mother would say, no, my son. Never say no to God.

Then our Lord said: Mother when I have to go through such a suffering, such an ordeal will you be there to encourage me with your presence? We may presume that Mary answered: Yes, my son. I will be there.

In other words, our Lord was informing the Blessed Mother about his future suffering and invited her to suffer with him. That is why our Blessed Mother is considered the "co-redemptrix." She knew and she freely, willingly, accepted to suffered with her son for the redemption of mankind.

This is why the Blessed Mother was able to stand at the foot of the cross, "standing and weeping," without becoming hysterical.

This is my personal explanation.