Tetelestai: The console of Easter festival

In his account, St. John revealed the agony of Christ on the cross and wrote, "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, *'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?'* that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" Matthew 27:46. Christ indeed was in great distress so He cried out so loud in extreme pain as of a woman in labour.

His tribulation affirmed the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 53, the verse 5 of his book which reads, *"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."*

So finally on that glorious day, Christ was nailed to the cursed tree and after he had bled uncontrollably and was near exhaustion, He nervously proclaimed, *"... IT IS FINISHED... "* (John 19:30). This phrase was translated from the Greek word, *TETELESTAI."* Friends, our salvation was activated the very moment Christ declared Tetelestai. That very time, we were redeemed from the shackles of eternal death to eternal life. We were re-united with our maker at that very juncture Christ declared telestai.

It must always be noted that Christ was God (John 1:1). He was God who revealed himself for the reason and purpose of a son to serve as a propitiation against the wrath of the Father ( Malachi 3:1-2, John 1: 14). Our sonship, kinship and our royalty was also restored through the passion of Christ our friend and eldest sibling when he shouted Tetelestai.

It has therefore become very necessary for us as believers to make Christ's last declaration "Tetelestai" the locus or the console of the Easter festival. To the memory of the message that brought us freedom, Easter must not be the festival to honor God with our mouths or hold on to our vile and sinful behaviours.

It is rather a solemn season to remind ourselves of the second coming of Christ to judge humanity. Like we all know, the Apostle Paul postulated in 1 corinthians 6:9-10 and said, *"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,* *nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."*

This is a reflection for us all- to hold the word *TETELESTAI* or the phrase, *" IT IS FINISHED"* in high esteem as we commemorate the death of Jesus Christ or else the power of the cross would be of no obvious value. ... And now, the grace of God be with us and forever. Happy Easter!