Jesus’ Despair/Three days?

Q As Jesus was dying on the cross, he cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Was Jesus despondent and despairing? 

A It may seem that way but Jesus was not despairing.  According to “The Catechism of the Catholic Church:”  by despair “man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins.  Despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice  for the Lord is faithful to his promises  and to his mercy” (CCC 2091).  Jesus did not have to worry about his salvation or forgiveness of his sins, since he never committed any sins.  And Jesus could never do anything against the father’s goodness and mercy.  Jesus was actually quoting from Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?  Why so far from my call for help, from my cries of anguish.”  

Here is a quote from “The Stations of the Cross with Pope John Paul II:

“Jesus, as a faithful Jew, would have prayed the Psalms regularly.  It is no surprise, then, that these words from Psalm 22 are on his lips during the intense agony of his last moments.  While this cry might seem to be a sign of despair or hopelessness, it revels, rather, the depth of his anguish and the intensity of his pain.  Shortly, afterward, he surrenders totally to his father’s will – ‘Father, into Your hands, I commend my spirit.’  We might wish to follow Christ’s example, letting these words be the last on our lips as we wait each night for sleep to come, sleep which is a symbol of our own eventual death”  (13th Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross). 

Q The Gospel of St. Mark states Jesus must suffer and die and “rise after three days” (Mk 8:31 and Mk 9:31).  If Jesus died on Good Friday and rose on Easter Sunday, how is that three days?

A Most Bible references indicate that Jesus rose or would rise “on the third day.”  The Nicene Creed, which is a summary of our beliefs and is prayed at most Sunday Masses during the year, also states that Jesus “rose again on the third day.”  I believe St. Mark is the only one who says he will “rise after three days.”  St. Mark’s Gospel agrees that Jesus died on a Friday and rose from the dead on Sunday, so his stating that Jesus rose after three days is just semantics.   

For the Jewish people, days do not start and end at midnight, like ours do.  Their day starts and ends at sunrise/sunset, and part of a day would be “day one.”  

Since Jesus died at noon on Friday, that is the first day (Good Friday).

From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday is the second day (Holy Saturday).

From sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday is the third day (Easter Sunday).

Easter Sunday, therefore, is the third day after Good Friday.

Deacon Hooper is a deacon assistant at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs. He can be reached at [email protected].