Friday afternoon.

It was now around noon-- the sixth hour of the Jewish day-- and darkness swiftly came and swallowed the light. The people marveled at the rapidity. There was no prior sign of a storm brewing. The day had been bright and beaming-- another hot one suggesting the impending summer. But, now.... They looked around, some nervous about what it meant, and they waited out the next few hours in trepidation.

A hot desert breeze lapping at His torn and bloody flesh, Jesus suddenly cried out in deep despair, "My God! My God! Why have you abandoned me?!"

Many of the religious among the group that heard this anguished appeal were struck-- some, like Mary, cut to the heart over this grave exclamation. Through tear-blurred eyes, she looked up at her dying Son, her head resting on the shoulder of her adopted son.

Some of the people standing there, though, misunderstood the title starting His words in the original language ("Eloi! Eloi! Lama Sabachthani!") and thought He meant the great prophet.

"He's calling for Elijah!" they exclaimed. "Let's see if he comes...." Wide-eyed, wondering, they waited-- their breath stolen in the intensity of the moment.

But nothing happened. Elijah had left long ago. He had announced Him and was now awaiting Him to finish His Kingdom above.

After an hour silence, the bleeding Jesus croaked out, "I am thirsty."

The women barely heard His words as they knelt in prayer at the foot of the cross. They motioned for a man whom they had given the drugged wine-vinegar to, and he dipped a sponge in before lifting it to Jesus' lips by a long, rigid stalk.

Soon the ninth hour of the day came upon them (though it was so dark that one could hardly believe it), and many of the Jews put back on their phylacteries, or toyed with the tassels on their robes as they stood, praying. Even Jesus Himself would pray, though it was through affliction of His soul that brought the people's attentions to Him.

In agony, Jesus thrust Himself up with the last of His strength and called out, "Father! Into Your hands I give My Spirit." 

After a second's pause, He called out, "It is finished!" and gave up His life with an anguished shriek, His head bowed and His body falling forward.

The last breath wheezed out of His lips and His lifeless body hung there on the rugged beam. His mother couldn't bear to look upon Him-- even John turned away-- and many people beat their breasts and left now that the famous miracle-working rabbi, suddenly turned condemned criminal, was dead. The intense scene and excitement was over, and they no longer hoped that He was the Expected One, as Elijah didn't rescue Him.

His followers, feeling guilt and shame and confusion, looked away from their dead Messiah-- their hopes now crushed and their spirits brought low to the Earth.

But, rumbling forth from the depths, a great quake struck with such force that it shattered the rocks around the cross and rent the curtain of the Temple in two-- the same curtain that shielded the Most Holy Place from the people. A centurion standing guard fell to his knees as gravel slid and rocks split around him. He understood that the quake was no coincidence, and he spoke to those still standing there: "Surely this had been a righteous man. He was a son of God indeed." 

With those words, the Roman had admitted that there is only one God. Now he had only to learn that there is also only one Son, for there was only one perfect sacrifice that could be made.