Mark 15:22-25, 33-41 - Where to go when you are depressed

And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.

 

Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.

  

And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.

 

Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.

  

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

  

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

 

Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!”

  

Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”

 

And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.

 

Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

 

So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

 

There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,

 

who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem

 

Depressed!

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Jesus was at the lowest point He had ever been. He knew all along who He was and what His relationship with the Father was and He had confidence that His Father's will should be followed because He always did those things that pleased the Father.  Yet, the path the Father laid out for Him was a hard one and one which not only brought Him death, but also a feeling of separation from God, His  Father. Truly this was hardest for Him to bear, not the physical pain but the pain of feeling abandoned by His Father. So where did Jesus turn when He was feeling abandoned and without God? He turned to God through the Sacred Scriptures. He cried out the words of the Psalms, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Jesus was able to turn to the Psalms because in His waking hours, He always brought them to mind.  He memorized them. When He went to synagogue, He paid close attention. When there were no services going on, He'd find Himself at the synagogues, pouring over the Scriptures until it became part of His whole being. He knew His Father and He knew that the words of Scriptures testified about Himself and His Father so He studied them intently. And this study helped Him "to grow in favor with God and with man."

Oh, that I would have such a zeal! May Sacred Scripture be infused in my being like it was for the God-Man Jesus.  Then, when trials come and my own particular cross is to be born, only then can I take comfort in my sorrows as long as I know that the  Scriptures will point me to God.  Amen.