The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 105: It Is Finished (2023)

Episode Date: April 15, 2023

In our final reading from the Gospel of John, we hear about the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Fr. Mike points out the connection between the Paschal lamb and Jesus, and also the connection between the Last Supper and the Crucifixion. Today's readings are John 19-21 and Proverbs 6:16-22. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation. Discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today, it is day 105, and we are concluding our week with the gospel of St. John. We're reading from John chapter 19, 20, and 21, the conclusion, the crucifixion, death of our Lord, as well as his resurrection. And what an incredible gift

the last six days have been in this seventh day of being able to hear one gospel in one week each day, just a little bit more has been an incredible gift for me. I hope it has been a gift for you. We're also reading from Proverbs chapter six, verses 16 through 22. As always, the Bible translation that I am using is the revised standard version, second Catholic edition. I'm using the great adventure Bible from Ascension.

If you want to get that, you can get it wherever fine Bibles are sold. You can also download your Bible in a Year reading plan by visiting ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast if you haven't done that yet. That would be pretty phenomenal. As I said, it is day 105. We're reading from John chapter 19, 20, and 21,

Proverbs chapter six, verses 16 through 22. The Gospel of John chapter 19. Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him, The Gospel of John, chapter 19. Pilate went out again and said to them, behold, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no crime in him. So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, here is the man. When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said to them, take him yourselves and crucify him for I find no crime in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God. When Pilate heard these words, he was even more afraid.

He entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, Where are you from? But Jesus gave no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have the power to release you and the power to crucify you? Jesus answered him, You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore, he who delivered me to you has the greater sin. Upon this, Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar.

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, Here is your king. They cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. The Crucifixion. So they took Jesus, and he went out bearing his own cross to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him,

and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, Do not write the King of the Jews, but this man said, I chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, Do not write the king of the Jews, but this man said, I am king of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written.

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier, also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom. So they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see whose it shall be. This was to fulfill the scripture. They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, 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 to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the scripture, I thirst. A bowl full of vinegar stood there, so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on a hyssop and held it to his mouth.

When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Jesus' side is pierced, since it was the day of preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a high day. The Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already

dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth, that you also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, not a bone of him shall be broken. And again another scripture says, they shall look on him whom they have pierced. The Burial of Jesus. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave.

So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. They took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now, in that place where he was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Chapter 20. The Resurrection of Jesus. Now, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark Chapter 20. The Resurrection of Jesus. Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise from the dead.

Then the disciples went back to their homes. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you

weeping? Whom do you seek? Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned and said to him in Hebrew, Rabboni, which means teacher. Jesus said to her, Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, I have seen the Lord. And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus gives the disciples the power to forgive sins. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. Jesus and Thomas. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails and place my hand in his side, I will not believe. Eight days later, his disciples were again in the

house and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not be faithless, but believing. Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. The purpose of this book. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. Chapter 21. Jesus Appears to Disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.

After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathanael of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We will go with you. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, Children, have you any fish? They answered him, No. He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in for the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter,

It is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them. And although there were so many of them, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord.

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. Peter is given a command. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, feed my lambs. A second time he said to him, Simon, son of John, do you love me?

He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he had said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young you fastened your own belt and walked where you would. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go. This he said, to show by

what death he was to glorify God. And after this he said to him, Jesus and the beloved disciple. Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray you? When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?

Follow me. The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. The book of Proverbs chapter 6 verses 16 through 22. There are six things which the Lord hates, seven which are an abomination to him, haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers. My son, keep your father's commandment and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart always, tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you. When you lie down, they will watch over you. And when you awake, they will lead you. When you lie down, they will watch over you. And when you awake, they will talk with you. Father in heaven, we thank you.

Gosh, Lord, thank you so much. Not only for the gift of the sacrifice of your son who laid down his life, not taken from him, he laid it down of his own accord. Thank you so much for the gift of the sacrifice of your son who laid down his life, not taken from him, he laid it down of his own accord. Thank you so much for the gift of your son who came into this world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. And this is how he has saved the world, by laying down his life for his friends

and laying down his life for his enemies so that we could become friends. And rising from the dead, Lord God, and appearing to disciples and speaking that powerful word, shalom, that powerful word, peace, peace, which the world cannot give, he has given to us as he gave to the disciples, the ability to forgive sins, the restoration of the kingdom and his Holy Spirit that dwells inside of us. Father, thank you. Thank you. We can never stop thanking you. We will never stop thanking you. In Jesus' name, we thank you. Amen. In the

name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. There is so much to be said. It's almost impossible to be able to say what we ought to talk about. We landed yesterday with the people crying out, we want Barabbas rather than, you know, to be with us rather than Jesus, rather than the actual son of God. And then we started today with this truth, this truth that here is Jesus sentenced to death and beaten, even though Pilate said, I find no crime in him. And this is so incredible that, you know, remember the beginning of this gospel, John the Baptist said that, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

And here, when Jesus is condemned, he's condemned at the exact hour when the lambs were being slaughtered in the temple. Not only that, remember what kind of lambs they were. They were unblemished lambs. And here's Pilate who says, I find no fault in him. Remember, no bone of theirs was to be broken. And here's Jesus on the cross and no bone of his is broken.

This demonstrates that this is so important. If we were to watch this, if you were a first century person and you watched the crucifixion, you would not think that Jesus was a sacrifice. You would think that he is executed. In fact, Dr. Scott Hahn talks about this, that if you were to watch this, if you were to watch the crucifixion, you wouldn't say, oh, there's a sacrifice. That's the lamb. You would say, here is the criminal who's being executed. But John is making it absolutely

clear what Jesus said. He says, no one takes my life from me. I lay it down freely. He's making a sacrifice because he is the true lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We heard the story of Abraham and Isaac, how the father took his only beloved son and offered him up on a high place. This Golgotha is the high place. It's on Mount Moriah, which is the same place that the son, Isaac, was offered by the father. But of course, what was the line? What was the word? The word was, God will himself provide a lamb, my son. And here is Jesus, the true lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. But also he's the sacrifice. Gosh, you guys, okay, in John chapter 19, there's a minor point, but it was minor to us. It says that the soldiers,

when the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier and also his tunic. But this is the word about the tunic. It says the tunic was without seam woven from top to bottom. They said, let's cast lots. Now, for those of us, we see that and think, oh, I guess interesting side point. For a Jew in the first century, you would say, wait a second, that is an ephod. Remember the word ephod? That is what Samuel was clothed in when he was brought to the temple by his mom. He was weaned, and then his mom would make an ephod for him every single year when she came back to the temple and visited. Ephod is a priestly garment. Jesus is wearing a priestly garment as he offers up the sacrifice of the lamb himself to the glory of the father. Guys, this is so incredible that Jesus was not executed. He is the priest who offered up the sacrifice. He is the sacrifice and he is the altar. And on the cross,

the priest, the king, what does he say? The priest, king, this is important for us all to know this, that every Christian, Jesus, when Jesus saw his mother on the cross, now here's Jesus being suffocated to death. Again, he's offering himself up, but he as a human being is dying as a human being, even though he is fully God, he also is fully human and he's dying as a human. And with those in that painful moment, what does he say? He looks at his mom and says, woman, behold your son. And then the beloved disciple, behold your mother. Now, this is so incredible. And this is John again, writing the firsthand is what we believe is according to tradition. But the beloved disciple here in this place is every disciple who is beloved of God, which is you, which is me.

And from the cross, what does Jesus do? From the cross, he gives his mother to be the mother of every disciple. And the scripture says from that hour, he took her into his own home. And this is the call for every one of us, every Christian. And I know a lot of people who are listening to this are not Catholics. And you think like, wait a second, you have a thing for Mary. I know you guys have a thing with Mary. And so do you. Why? Because from the cross, Jesus gave his mom to be the mother of every disciple, not just Catholics, but every disciple from the cross. So remarkable. Of course, there is the fulfillment of the last supper when Jesus says, I thirst in a bowl full of vinegar, like sour wine, right?

It's brought to his lips on what? On a sprig of hyssop. Remember the hyssop we saw in the book of Exodus? That was what they put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts through hyssop. Hyssop is used in the sacrificial rites in the temple. Remember, Jesus is the priest. He is the sacrifice. He is the altar. And he fulfills the Passover in this moment where he says, it is finished. It's not just, it is finished like my work here is done. It is the Passover sacrifice of the last supper. When Jesus says, this is my body,

this is my blood given for you is connected to this moment on the cross. when Jesus says, this is my body, this is my blood given for you, is connected to this moment on the cross. And he says it is finished. Why? Because they didn't drink the fourth cup of the Passover meal. They went out into the night. And here he is connecting the last supper the night before where he gave us his body and blood in the Eucharist. And here he is connecting that with the crucifixion where he's offering up his body and blood to the father. Man, oh man. Okay. Last thing, last thing. There's so many things to talk about, but among them is the faithfulness of Mary Magdalene. It was the faithfulness of Thomas. Oh my goodness. The faithfulness of Thomas. And here is this gift that Jesus gives

in John chapter 20. To the apostles, the disciples, he says, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. So people have the questions like, where do priests get off saying they can forgive sins? Because of this, because when he rose from the dead,

Jesus gave the apostles the ability to forgive sins, and look, reading James chapter five, we see them immediately, immediately going about forgiving in Jesus' name. It's so incredible. Last little note, because here we are a minute, I don't know, a hundred right now in this long, long, long episode. But we also have restoration. We have the big question where Jesus asks Simon, son of John, do you love me? Of course, he says, do you love me more than these? And there's so much depth we can go into when it comes to this question. First of all, he says, Simon, do you love me? And that word, that Greek word is agape. Do you love me like I love you? Do you pour your love out for me? Is it self-sacrificial love? And Peter answers,

and he says, Lord, I love you, Philia. Basically, I love you like a brother. I love you like a friend. And Jesus asks again, do you love me like I love you? Do you love me agape? And he says, I love you like a friend. And so Jesus then acquiesces and says, okay, do you love me as a friend? Lord, you know I love you. And it's so remarkable that Jesus wants us to love him like he loves us. That self-sacrificial love. But even when we don't, even here's Peter who's, no, I love you as a friend.

Jesus meets us there and he accepts it, which is so remarkable because he doesn't just meet us and accept us. When we come back to him, he restores us. And that's exactly what he does. In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus says, you are now Peter, rock, and upon this rock, I'll build my church and the gates of hell do not prevail against it. I'll give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, which you loose on earth is loosed in heaven, bound in earth is bound in heaven.

And then here is Peter who's betrayed him. He's denied him. But Jesus says, no, no, no, I'm going to restore you. So feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my lambs. And this is for all of us to have that word of hope. When we feel like all is lost because we've made a wreck of stuff, we come back to Jesus. And he doesn't just forgive us. He doesn't just reconcile us to himself. He has the power to restore us. Praise the Lord. My gosh, I'm so sorry this is so long, but what a gift, right? This is our last time of a messianic checkpoint, last time of the gospel until another bunch

of days tomorrow. We're going back in day 106, 1uel 9 and 10 and back to proverbs so it'll be a journey back to the old testament but today we just rejoice in the lord and as every day we rejoice in the lord i'm praying for you please pray for me my name is father mike i cannot wait to see you tomorrow god bless you