"At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon"

At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.” One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 33:39)

As the great hour of mercy nears, it is difficult to find words to express the significance of what we celebrate. The veil that separates heaven and earth has been torn asunder. The chains that lock us in an endless cycle of sin, hatred and death have been broken.

It is finished.