Introduction
In the stillness of this moment, let us open our hearts and reflect prayerfully on the Seven Last Words spoken by Jesus.
This collection presents each word alongside the corresponding Gospel passage, reflections written by MFC Youth LIT, and a prayer from St. Josemaria Escriva.
May this guide help us meditate and contemplate on the Passion of the Lord this Good Friday. Through His Seven Last Words, may we silently embrace His mercy and love for each and every one of us.
First word: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Forgiveness)
Gospel:
“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
Reflection:
As Jesus hung on the cross, bearing unimaginable pain, He made a choice—to pray for others.
He could have rebuked His accusers, responded with anger, or condemned those who mocked Him. Instead, He chose compassion. He chose love. He chose to pray, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Reflecting on this, I see moments in my own life—times of suffering, discouragement, and weakness in my studies, my work, my mission, and even in my walk with Christ. In those seasons, I’ve cried out to God, desperate for help, knowing He is my only hope.
But in reflecting on Jesus, I realize there’s something more. I’m called not only to seek Him in my pain but to be like Him—to pray for others even while I’m hurting. What kind of love is this? A love so deep that, in the midst of suffering, we still choose to intercede. We pray not because we feel strong, but because we know God hears us, and He never forsakes those who call on Him.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
Second Word: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Salvation)
Gospel:
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23: 39-43
Reflection:
There are times when we look at our lives and feel that salvation is beyond our reach. Heaven seems too far away when we remember our sins, our failures, the hurt we have caused, and the worldly desires we still hold on to.
Yet we are reminded of the “good” thief on the cross. He was a criminal, suffering the punishment bestowed upon him because of his crimes. And still, in that final hour, he was beside Jesus. What stands out is that Jesus did not see him through the lens of his past mistakes. Jesus saw his heart, his repentance, and his faith.
Many times, I find myself feeling stuck. I feel stuck in my habitual sins. I feel stuck in fear, shame, and hopelessness. In those moments, I feel like I cannot move forward, like I am trapped within my own brokenness.
But I have come to realize that these moments of feeling stuck are my own cross. And it is okay to be stuck, as long as I remember that Jesus is with me. When I choose repentance and hold on to faith, His constant presence and the grace He freely gives begin to change everything.
When Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” He gave us a beautiful promise. The suffering we endure, when united with Him, leads us to salvation. The cross is not the end of the story. With Jesus, it becomes the way to Paradise.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
Third Word: “Woman, behold, your son….Behold, your mother.” (Relationship)
Gospel:
“Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” John 19: 25-27
Reflection:
While Jesus was agonizing on the cross, He still thought of others. In that pain, He looked at His mother and His beloved disciple and entrusted them to each other. Even in the middle of His own suffering, Jesus still made room for love. He made sure the people He loved felt seen, felt cared for. That is how personal His love is.
Jesus calls Mary “woman,” not “mother.” Upon reflecting, I see this as His way of showing us that Mary is not only His mother, but ours too. In this moment, Jesus gives her to us, not just to John, but to all His disciples. In the most painful hour of His life, He still thought of our need for a mother, someone who would walk with us, pray with us, and stand beside us as we carry our own crosses. What a gift that is, to have someone like Mary, who understands sorrow and surrender, who stays. That truth brings me comfort. I can turn to Mama Mary not only during times of suffering, but also in moments of joy. Whether I’m praying the Rosary, offering my worries like she did at the foot of the cross, or simply feeling overwhelmed with life, I know she is there. Present. Her heart, full of grace, holds space for me to rest and to hope. She reminds me that I don’t have to carry everything alone.
Lately, I have also realized how easy it is to get caught up in everything that keeps me busy: school, service, responsibilities, and all the daily small urgencies. And in the rush, I sometimes forget the people around me. I forget to pause, to ask, “How are you?” I forget to listen. I catch myself focusing more on tasks than relationships. This made me realize that following Jesus means being present, just like how Mary and John were present even in the most painful moments of His life. It means slowing down enough to really see others, to notice when someone is tired, to celebrate with someone in their joy, to sit with someone in their sadness. It means choosing to love when it is inconvenient, and staying even when it is uncomfortable.
I pray for the grace to be more intentional with the people God has placed in my life. It reminds me that love is not always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it is found in the simplest, most ordinary things, and in carrying them in prayer.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
Fourth Word: “I thirst.” (Distress)
Gospel:
“After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.” John 19: 28-29
Reflection:
To think that Jesus, the Son of Man, innocent and without a stain of sin, allowed himself to be crucified in our place is something that always captures my heart. To be humiliated on the cross, stripped of his clothes, and at one point given a sponge soaked in wine because he thirsted, shows the gravity of his love and humility.
Upon reflecting on the words of Jesus, “I thirst”, I was reminded of the times that I thirsted as well. I thirsted for love, for affection, for recognition, for comfort, for rest, and for things that my heart had always longed for. For years, I have looked for satisfaction in these “thirsts” from the world. While for a moment I would receive satisfaction, I would always end up even more thirsty.
We thirst for a lot of things. We long for things and try to satisfy them with what the world offers, but what we should realize is that Jesus is the only satisfaction that will quench our thirst. In the same way that he thirsted on the cross, Jesus also thirsts for us. The very reason why he chose to come down on earth and be bound on the cross was because he is so deeply in love with us.
The sixth word reminds us of Jesus’ true thirst. It wasn’t the quenching of his thirst by the sponge dipped in wine that kept him longer– it was his love for us that kept him there.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
Fifth Word: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Abandonment)
Gospel:
“At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15: 33-34
Reflection:
These haunting words from Jesus on the cross are more than just a cry of anguish—they are proof that He truly relates to us. He is not a distant Savior who cannot understand our suffering. In that moment, Jesus entered into the deepest human pain—abandonment. And because He did, He can walk with us through ours.
I remember the start of the pandemic. Like many families during that time, ours faced overwhelming challenges. One hardship after another came crashing down on us. But the most painful of all was our financial struggle. I still remember how my mom would cry quietly, burdened by the weight of simply trying to put food on the table. Each day was lived moment by moment, unsure if we would have enough to eat the next day. We were crawling through the dark, clinging to whatever hope we could find.
During that time, I felt abandoned by God. I questioned His presence, His love, even His promises. What Jesus felt on the cross, I felt in my own heart—that deep, aching silence, that terrifying loneliness. But even then, through the pain, I heard the quiet strength of my parents. They would tell us to hold on to prayer, to faith, to the Lord. Just hold on.
Those simple words became our lifeline. And slowly, I began to realize that though God may have felt silent, He had never left. Our struggles became the soil where our family’s faith grew deeper. God was shaping us, strengthening us, teaching us endurance, and knitting our hearts closer together.
Now I understand—Jesus’ cry on the cross wasn’t just a cry of despair; it was also a message for us. He knows what abandonment feels like, and because He does, we can be assured that He will never truly abandon us. Our God is faithful. Even in the silence, even in the pain, He is present. And because Jesus experienced the full depth of human suffering, we can find comfort in knowing that we never walk through our trials alone.
This is a reminder that when we feel abandoned by God, we are not alone in that feeling—and more importantly, we are never truly forsaken. Jesus understands. And because He understands, He walks with us through every valley, offering hope, strength, and unshakable love.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
Sixth Word: “It is finished.” (Triumph)
Gospel:
“When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.” John 19:30
Reflection:
There are times that I struggle serving the Lord, getting filled with anxiety, fear, and inferiority, thinking that I can’t do what other people can do. Always trying to bargain with the Lord with what compromises me.
But the Lord always reminds me that He was the one who chose me, not the other way around. It is a humbling experience to know that whatever I’m doing for the Lord is something that fulfills His great plan for the people.
I believe that suffering will always be part of me, especially in being a servant of God. I suffer a lot; there are always hurts, pains, and struggles coming my way, but what sets my heart at peace is knowing that I’m with the Lord every step of the way.
During this time when Jesus said these words, He knew that despite and more than these sufferings, the scriptures had been fulfilled, and He was now ready to be at rest, knowing that He had followed what God had commanded Him.
Just like Jesus, may we have the heart to fully surrender everything to the Lord, believing that by saying yes to suffering, we are also saying yes to fulfilling His will—and knowing that from the start until the end, He’s with you.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
Seventh Word: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (Reunion)
Gospel:
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last”. Luke 23: 44-46
Reflection:
The seventh word of Jesus is a reminder of surrendering everything to the Father in heaven.
I was sent on a long-term mission to different provinces in the Visayas over the past years. There were many moments when I found myself having nothing but my confidence and trust in the Lord—and this trust brought me to so many places where I eventually encountered God.
There was a time when I didn’t know how I would be able to eat because I didn’t have enough money. But along the way, God would send people who helped me get through. These moments happened often every time I was out on mission. I believe the way God provides comes from my deep trust in Him—that no matter what happens, He will never abandon me.
I thank the Lord for those experiences in my life. Through them, I encountered His generosity through people. But more than that, it led me closer to Him—clinging only to Him when you have nothing or when you can do nothing.
The seventh word of Christ reminds us to fully surrender to God’s will. We will surely encounter afflictions in every aspect of our lives. But just like Jesus, may we humble ourselves before the Lord, and not be afraid to come to Him, to cry out, and to surrender it all. Through trials and difficulties, we become one with God—if we trust Him fully and surrender our lives to Him wholly.
PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT TO GOD’S PROVIDENCE
My Lord and my God:
into your hands I abandon
the past and the present and the future,
what is small and what is great,
what amounts to a little
and what amounts to a lot,
things temporal and things eternal.
Amen.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be….
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because, by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
