The Fifth Word
By Rev. Helen Harper, St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Niagara Falls, NY

“I am thirsty”

It has now been many hours since Jesus’ arrest.  He has been flogged, beaten, and he had to walk a great distance to the crucifixion site.  The Romans tormented their prisoners, in part, by denying them water.  They forced the prisoners to carry their heavy crosses quite a distance.  Then they hung the prisoners on their crosses to suffer through hot days and cold nights, with no clothing, food or water, and Roman soldiers stood guard to insure that family members would not come forward to help the prisoners.