"It's Finished!"
by: Sr. Jennifer R. Cuerdo
“It is finished!” is an expression which could arouse in us one or both of two sentiments – either joy – as in school graduations; or sorrow – as in deaths.
It is exclaimed with delight when one has achieved something positive – completed one’s studies, fulfilled a project, or realized a goal. Or it could also be accompanied by a sigh of relief and peace when one has been freed from something difficult or problematic – a fair judgment of a case, a solution to a problem, a cure from a disease, or the end of war and armed conflicts.
It could also be uttered with anguish and disappointment when one has experienced an end of something valuable – a friendship or any relationship because of betrayal, a dismissal from work, a missed opportunity, or even the loss of a loved one.
A semester before I finished my Licentiate studies in Rome, I had the courage to request to continue my Doctorate, no longer in Rome as my superiors earlier planned, but here in the Philippines instead. My mother has been frequently getting sick and my aunt (my mom’s unmarried older sister who helped to take care of us when we were younger) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, so I felt that my presence and nearness to them was needed.
I no longer attended our graduation for my Licentiate degree, as graduations in the Universities in Rome are usually done at the beginning of the new academic year in October. My classmates and I celebrated together that June after our Lectio Coram, an oral defense required for graduating students. Though most of us would no longer be in Rome to receive our diploma, we were all jubilant for our achievement. We surpassed three-years of Canon Law! It is finished!
I flew home immediately in early July. I was still able to spend some time with my aunt. But despite her undergoing chemotherapy, her feeble body slowly gave up. Our family decided not to get together anymore for last year’s Christmas and this past New Year's celebrations as my aunt was in the hospital. Since we knew that she was already heading to the end of her days, we had prepared her spiritually with the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. A day before she died, thinking that it was already her time, she called all of us, with my cousins from her other siblings, and made her last will as regards her properties and last wishes for her funeral. After making sure that everything was arranged according to her liking, she jokingly said that maybe it was a false alarm since she has not died yet.
The following day, I arrived at the hospital with my aunt grasping for her breath. My cousin said that she reminded my aunt that it would be my birthday the next day. She looked at me and I saw the sadness in her eyes. She still didn’t want to leave, maybe because she didn’t want me to mourn on my birthday. I held her hand, spoke to her and said, “It’s okay. If you are ready to leave, you can leave now. You are already prepared; we will follow what you told us to do. You don’t have to worry about my birthday. I don’t want to prolong your suffering. Don’t worry about me.” We prayed the rosary while she was agonizing. And when her oxygen level dropped, she breathed her last. It is finished!
In these experiences of both happiness and grief, everything was clear for me. After my Licentiate in Rome, I would be pursuing my Doctorate degree in the University of Santo Tomas, which I am currently doing now. After my aunt died, we did exactly as she told us – one day/one night wake, cremation afterwards, brought her urn to my mom in Quezon for 40 days, then transferred her to their hometown in Marinduque for her burial there. I am happy and certain that she passed away ready to meet our Lord.
The words, “It is finished!” pronounced by our Lord Jesus Christ, could have brought about hesitations and doubts to those who heard them. “What was finished? The pain He was enduring, clearly! Maybe Jesus was relieved that all His suffering would soon end with His death. It could not possibly be a cry of accomplishment, because what success has He attained? His preaching, healing and miracles all went down the drain. And those people whom He has helped, even His so-called disciples, where are they? They all ran away! He has been left with nothing – a total loser!” These were probably what most of the eyewitnesses and bystanders thought during that time.
But what do those words really mean? Regardless of His seeming defeat – no assurance if there would still be a future for His followers, His teachings were apparently ineffective, His miracles were disbelieved, and His very person questioned – His “It is finished!” was an expression of triumph!
It was not yet obvious then, that Friday afternoon – for there was darkness all over, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, there was an earthquake – everything was vague and was in deafening silence until the whole day of Saturday. What would happen afterwards?
But that early Sunday morning illuminated the obscurity in His followers’ hearts – as clear as the noonday sun was the significance of His “It is finished!”. Those words meant that He has won over sin and death; that notwithstanding His frail Humanity, He did not give up and followed the will of God the Father in order to bring about our salvation; that what Jesus really meant with those words was MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Prayer:
Lord, when things get tough and uncertain – like the false image of victory of evil in the corruption cases in our country; the perennial disparaging words of one politician over another; the declining morality in our society; the continuous destruction of the family; the ongoing and intensifying war between nations; – help us to remember that it was under these same conditions when you declare Your “It is finished!” while hanging on the cross. It is an encouraging reminder for us that we should always take heart, for You have overcome the world. Lord, make us put our trust in You more. Amen!
Sr. Jennifer R. Cuerdo, OP is a religious sister of the Missionaries of St. Dominic and is currently the Assistant Provincial Secretary of the Immaculate Conception Province, Philippines. She also works as the Head of the Commission of the Culture of Care (Safeguarding) of the Philippine Province and the Head of the Social Media team of the entire Institute.