It is finished. As I sit and type this during the 3:00 Hour of Divine Mercy, the hour that Jesus breathed His last, these words resound in my soul.

It. Is. Finished. Over and over it speaks. Like the cadence of a drum, getting stronger and stronger with every beat, over and over it speaks. ‘It… Is... Finished…’ Rising from my subconscious, beckoning to be heard, until the whisper of my Savior’s last breath becomes so poignant, so focused, so deeply felt in the depths of my heart that I couldn’t deny He was speaking directly to me, ‘IT. IS. FINISHED.’

’WHAT is finished?’ I finally demand, my inner voice yelling so loud the cadence stopped, and my question was met with silence.

What is finished? Common sense tells us, the Crucifixion. The Crucifixion is finished. The torture and suffering too gruesome for words or comprehension. The passion and death of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord. IT is finished.

But I knew there was more. I knew I had to dig deeper.

Last night, on Holy Thursday, I was particularly inspired by the washing of the feet. I spent quite a bit of time meditating on this selfless act of love. So, today, I am focused on the feet of Jesus, scarred and bloody, crusty and callused, pierced by the nail, but held down only by His love for us. What a journey those feet have had. In less than 24 hours, those feet walked the path of each and every beautiful life He created - every life that is, that was, and is to come - struggling under the weight of all our burdens, all our sin, all our worries and grief and pain. Those two feet bore it all.

‘IT is FINISHED,’ I whispered aloud to myself. And suddenly, a wave of grace washed over me, and it became crystal clear. All the things I’ve been grasping for, all the struggles I felt too weak to bear. All the sins I am too weak to overcome. The weight of the crosses I made for myself - every time I tried to be my own savior, and the savior of so many others.

It ALL became crystal clear; the gruesomely honest truth of the false idols I’ve chased, and the second-rate version of myself I’ve become - despite who I know I’m created to be.

And, just like that, the resounding voice in my head become a firm resolve in my heart. All the things I’ve been holding onto, the struggles I felt too weak to bear, and the sin I am too weak to overcome on my own… they are FINISHED. They are. They are finished.

This is the truth that sets me free. Like the blood and water that poured from His side, the truth of His mercy and grace washes over me and I am restored. Washed clean. Made new. By His stripes, we are healed.

So, I will sit here in silence, at the foot of the cross, digging deep inside my heart to find every untruth I’ve believed over the years, and I am going to leave them here. All the lies, all the fear, all the doubt, all the shame… I choose to lay it all at the foot of the cross, before the feet that bore their weight to set me free. I’m going to lay them down and leave them at His feet. Because it is finished.

What will you bring to set at His feet? Will you be brave enough to leave it behind, trusting in His promise to rise again in three days?

It is finished, and it has just begun.