After God calls the prophet Isaiah for his mission as a preacher, he prays for one thing: to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.

So many people are weary of life; tired of living paycheck to paycheck struggling to make ends meet. Feeling disheartened over the political divide either because they do not like the direction the country is going, or because they do, but in our primarily democrat state it is an unpopular view to hold. Frustrated with how their loved ones are choosing to live their lives. Feeling bored with the sense that nothing they do gives them fulfilment. Weary of the injustices that they see all around them.

Holy Week shows us how Jesus enters into the weariness of our life and speaks a word that will rouse us, if we are willing to listen… words that give New Hope and new energy.

Paul says that Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God he did not consider equality with God something to be held on to. Rather, he emptied himself, he took the form of a servant, he humbled himself to the point of death. Meaning, Jesus immerses himself in the weariness of human life and offers us the possibility of transformation.

We begin Holy Week with the crucifixion, because it is there that we hear the final words of Jesus meant to rouse us and fill us with hope, which today we hear through Luke.

The first word: father forgive them for they know not what they do. This are the words of God’s compassion. These words fill us with hope that Jesus understands the condition of sin in which we find ourselves. Sin is much more than disobedience. The father is merciful to us especially because he sees that we often do not know what we do. We seek happiness in ways that can never fulfill us. We stay in relationships that can never grow in a healthy way. We compete with one another and feel jealous of each other and yet we feel insecure about our own worth.

Luke shows this as an in an especially striking way in the account of the Last Supper. The disciples gather with Jesus joyfully at the final Passover which will transform into the Eucharist at the resurrection, but their joy doesn’t last very long. Their fears and insecurities take over. An argument broke out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest and Jesus said to them Satan wants to sift all of you like wheat. At what should be their greatest moment of unity around Jesus the disciples are caught in the power of competition and rivalry, the power of division which is the most serious challenge to everything that Jesus has come to do.

If you are weary of your sin, feeling so far from grace, Jesus prays for you: father forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus prays that we will finally that tired with living in ways that do not fulfill us. Jesus assures us that God is waiting for us with compassion and mercy to give us energy to start a new life. Jesus assures us that God wants to give us power to turn division and conflict in our lives into love and peace.

The second word: Amen I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. We hear God’s word of invitation to new life. These are words spoken to a criminal and these words assure us that there’s nothing that we have done in our lives that places us beyond the love of God. This criminal hears two voices from the cross. First, he hears the voice of his past. The voice of the other criminal represents all the anger and violence in his past life. Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! This is the voice of a person who has been beaten down by life. The path of his life has brought him to a cross and he hangs there jaded, salty, drained of any faith in God.

But then he hears a second voice, the voice of Jesus inviting him to begin again, words that rouse him. He realizes his past does not define who he is and that Jesus is not judging him based on his past, so he tells the other criminal, the voice of his past to be quiet: Have you No Fear of God? We have been condemned justly, but this man has done nothing wrong! He places his hope in Jesus, that Jesus has the power to save him from the life that led him to his cross. If there are things in your past that seem to have a hold on your life… if you have found it difficult to forgive yourself for something, Jesus speaks words that can rouse you to start over: Amen I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Today place your hope in Jesus, he suffers that past with you and does not condemn you, but understands the situation you were in and offers you the grace you need to change.

The third word; father, into your hands I commend my spirit. We see the example of Jesus courageous commitment. Jesus cannot tell parables anymore. Jesus cannot explain the scriptures. He is in pain, near death, all he can do is teach by example. Jesus challenges us to do what he does; to commit ourselves to God, to place our lives in the father’s hands. Jesus teaches us that God wants our commitment so that his power can work in our lives. To make this commitment to God can be a risk. It can mean making big changes in your life, reordering all your priorities. It takes courage to reach out to receive what Jesus offers when we are surrounded by a culture where so many people seem indifferent to the church and to religion. Jesus himself felt anxiety at what God was asking him to do, as any of us would. In Gethsemane he prayed; father if it be possible let this cup pass from me! But he made the choice to commit himself completely to follow the path that God had opened up to him. If have been trying to get close to God, recommit to your faith, but have four it discouraging, Jesus speaks words to rouse your resolve to push forward, to back take a step back, and invites you to say the same thing: father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Family, Holy Week changed the world and continues to do so one person at a time. We hear the word of God’s compassion. We hear God’s word of invitation to new life. We hear the word of commitment. May these words of Jesus that come to us today rouse us enough to open our hearts to Christ. No matter where you are on your journey, the power of the resurrection will renew our lives.