The Final Word

"It is finished" does not mean that suffering and loss and the rivers of tears are things of the past.  "It is finished" means that they do not have the last word.  It means that love has the last word. - Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, Death on a Friday Afternoon


As Fr. Neuhaus suggested earlier in his book, it is true for me that the celebration of Easter does not mean that Good Friday is cast behind me.  I simply must finish this wonderful book, and I must not rush through what remains of it!

Love has the last word.  I have seen this borne out in my own life, as my mistakes have been overcome by the love I've received.  My wife, my daughters, my friends who continue to be vessels of priceless treasure to me have brought me to resurrection life.

One of my very most favoritest Christian musicians - Michael Card - did a musical trilogy back in the 80's on the life of Jesus.  He worked backward, so the last album of the trilogy was on the incarnation of Christ.  Its title cut was called The Final Word, based on how St. John refers to Jesus in the prologue to his Gospel: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.  Michael Card says:


 . . . When the Father's wisdom wanted to communicate His love,
He spoke it in one final perfect Word.


He spoke the incarnation, and then so was born the Son.
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one.
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way Divine.
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine.


So, the love has the last word, and the final word is Jesus.  Of course!

And as I read this word from the cross, "It is finished," I realize that love has completed what love came to do, reconciling us with love for all time.  All that remains is for us to choose to be reconciled.