What was Jesus' intent with, "...My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?..."

[SocorroV]

I teach catechism in my local parish and I I explain that even when Our Lord was in the midst of HIS passion on the cross HE did not stop being our all loving, all meciful God, the eternal high priest and rabbi. So, when he utterd these words from the cross he was still trying to save those in front of him that needed saving. It was another teachable moment for Our Lord. All the learned men of Israel there present before HIM had to have known by memory if not by heart psalm 22. King David wrote this psalm some 1000 years before this scene at Calvary. Some of the words of psalm 22 make no sense but for this crucifixion scene. This holy prophet describes clearly the events of Good Friday. Specifically, "...they have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones, for my vestitures they cast lots..." I tell my students that Our Lord was desperately trying to get those learned people there present doing "our" dirty deed for us to open their eyes and repent as what King David wrote was being fullfilled before their very eyes. Nailed to that cross HE had trouble drawing breath so being brief was most required. Just as when any American hears the words, "Oh, say can you see..." immeditely that person associates those words with the national anthem, the learned men by the cross should have immediately known that they were from psalm 22. That they did not see the truth and make that connection about the fullfillment of of the psalm could have been that they were in the claws of the devil. We also fail to see any such truth when we are in those same evil claws.

Now I understand that these words of our Lord could have had other meanings but my real question is could our benevolent Lord have been seeking the repenting of those learned souls near HIM with these words?

Thank you for taking my question.

Socorro Varela

[Augusta Crowley]

The following link should help you better understand the meaning behind these words of Jesus on the cross. If you have any further questions, please contact Catholic Answers directly.

Recommended Reading:

My God My God Why Have You Forsaken Me?
Forsaken