Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?

You already know I have a propensity for languages. So it should be no surprise when I tell you that I memorized the title phrase before I ever knew what it meant. If anyone had asked me how to spell it on my way out of church that day, I would've nailed it (no pun intended!).

It is alternately Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

It means My God, My God, why have you abandoned me? It has also been translated as, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?

It's Holy Week in the Catholic Church, so expect me to be kind of religious the next few days maybe even weeks. Easter is my favorite time of year as you know. Not only does it remind me that life is worth living AND dying, I marinate in memories of my own Baptism ~ Confirmation ~ First Communion two years ago.

It's the time when we suffer like Christ to die and rise again. It's the time when I most pure. I've received absolution and forgiveness for sins. Even though this Lent has been kind of blah for me, I have done some things that I never thought I would. One is making a confession for sins of the flesh to my priest. I was shaking and terrified because I sorewas swirling and swimming in the greatness of Palm Sunday today. The phrase of which I speak is found in the gospels, in the passages of The Passion (Mark 27:46 and Matthew 15:34).

Remember my previous post about how Christ evidences His humanity so that we can identify with Him instead of being afraid of "perfection" (i.e., we're told to be Christ-like, but how can I ever be perfect? Haven't you ever thought that too? Haven't you ever thought that Jesus was perfect? Haven't you then had this feeling of despair, maybe even guilt that you'll never be able to be like Him?)?

Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? certainly shows us Jesus's humanness, doesn't it? Raw, on the cross, body broken, spirit challenged, emotionally drained, Jesus feels alone. Betrayed. Forgotten. Even though He knew it was His Father's Will and He accepted it; and yet in the end, He still doubted. He was still afraid. He was still in pain spiritually, physically and emotionally.

Yeah. I'm like Jesus. Yeah. Jesus is like me. And that, my friends, is freeing.

The Presentation Song (when the bread and wine are being prepared for transubstantiation) was "Jerusalem, My Destiny". It has a lovely melody that resounds in my soul. The chorus epitomizes what I believe is true for every single human being. Take a look:

I have fixed my eyes on your hill, Jerusalem, my destiny!

Though I cannot see the end for me, I cannot turn away.

We have set our hearts for the way, this journey is my destiny!

Let no on walk alone.

The journey makes us one.

We are all one.

That is truth undeniable.

What separates us from one another: us.

Music: Jesus, Remember Me by Taize