The passion of Christ, from his agony in the garden to his death, was the most torturous suffering a person could undergo. Jesus fulfilled his words, “Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45). Jesus and his mother Mary fulfilled God’s promise of the woman and her son who would destroy the serpent that led to the fall of mankind. When Jesus successfully accomplished his mission on the cross, he drank the fourth cup of Passover and said, “It is finished.” It was not words of relief but words of accomplishment like the words of a military captain saying at completion of a victorious war. Let us join Jesus in carrying our crosses and finally say with him, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Glory to God in the Highest! As we enter the new year 2019, let us glorify God by our love and good deeds. The world may fade, the stars may fall, the seasons may change, but the God who has been our help in ages past is our hope for years to come. In Him we have permanence, stability, joy unshakable, and life unending. Let the Lord be with you all.