20/03/2016
Sunday's reading
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Lectionary: 37 and 38
–
At The Procession With Palms –
Gospel LK 19:28-40
Jesus proceeded on his journey up
to Jerusalem.
As he drew near to Bethphage and
Bethany
at the place called the Mount of
Olives,
he sent two of his disciples.
He said, “Go into the village
opposite you,
and as you enter it you will find a
c**t tethered
on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
And if anyone should ask you,
‘Why are you untying it?’
you will answer,
‘The Master has need of it.’”
So those who had been sent went off
and found everything just as he had
told them.
And as they were untying the c**t,
its owners said to them,
“Why are you untying this c**t?”
They answered,
“The Master has need of it.”
So they brought it to Jesus,
threw their cloaks over the c**t,
and helped Jesus to mount.
As he rode along,
the people were spreading their
cloaks on the road;
and now as he was approaching the
slope of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had
seen.
They proclaimed:
“Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest.”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd
said to him,
“Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
He said in reply,
“I tell you, if they keep silent,
the stones will cry out!”
At The Mass – Reading 1 IS 50:4-7
The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to
the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat
me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my
beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to
shame.
Responsorial Psalm PS 22:8-9, 17-18,
19-20, 23-24
R. (2a) My God, my God, why have
you abandoned me?
All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they
wag their heads:
“He relied on the LORD; let him
deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
R. My God, my God, why have you
abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon
me;
They have pierced my hands and my
feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you
abandoned me?
They divide my garments among
them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from
me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you
abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my
brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will
praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give
glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of
Israel!”
R. My God, my God, why have you
abandoned me?
Reading 2 PHIL 2:6-11
Christ Jesus, though he was in the
form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of
death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted
him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and
under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Verse Before The Gospel PHIL 2:8-9
Christ became obedient to the point
of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted
him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name.
Gospel LK 22:14—23:56
When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with
the apostles.
He said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this
Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it
again
until there is fulfillment in the
kingdom of God.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks,
and said,
“Take this and share it among
yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the
vine
until the kingdom of God comes.”
Then he took the bread, said the
blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which will be given
for you;
do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had
eaten, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my
blood,
which will be shed for you.
“And yet behold, the hand of the
one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it
has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is
betrayed.”
And they began to debate among
themselves
who among them would do such a
deed.
Then an argument broke out among
them
about which of them should be
regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it
over them
and those in authority over them are
addressed as ‘Benefactors’;
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you
be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one
who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who
serves.
It is you who have stood by me in
my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one
on me,
that you may eat and drink at my
table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has
demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own
faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers.”
He said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison
and to die with you.”
But he replied,
“I tell you, Peter, before the c**k
crows this day,
you will deny three times that you
know me.”
He said to them,
“When I sent you forth without a
money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?”
“No, nothing, “ they replied.
He said to them,
“But now one who has a money bag
should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture
must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the
wicked;
and indeed what is written about
me is coming to fulfillment.”
Then they said,
“Lord, look, there are two swords
here.”
But he replied, “It is enough!”
Then going out, he went, as was his
custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he
said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the
test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s
throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are
willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from
heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed
so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of
blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and
returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, “Why are you
sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not
undergo the test.”
While he was still speaking, a crowd
approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a
man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
“Judas, are you betraying the Son of
Man with a kiss?”
His disciples realized what was
about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high
priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear
and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests
and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
“Have you come out as against a
robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the
temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for
the power of darkness.”
After arresting him they led him
away
and took him into the house of the
high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the
courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the
light,
she looked intently at him and said,
“This man too was with him.”
But he denied it saying,
“Woman, I do not know him.”
A short while later someone else saw
him and said,
“You too are one of them”;
but Peter answered, “My friend, I am
not.”
About an hour later, still another
insisted,
“Assuredly, this man too was with
him,
for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said,
“My friend, I do not know what you
are talking about.”
Just as he was saying this, the c**k
crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at
Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of
the Lord,
how he had said to him,
“Before the c**k crows today, you
will deny me three times.”
He went out and began to weep
bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody
were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and
questioned him, saying,
“Prophesy! Who is it that struck
you?”
And they reviled him in saying many
other things against him.
When day came the council of elders
of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their
Sanhedrin.
They said, “If you are the Christ, tell
us, “
but he replied to them, “If I tell
you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not
respond.
But from this time on the Son of
Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of
God.”
They all asked, “Are you then the
Son of God?”
He replied to them, “You say that I
am.”
Then they said, “What further need
have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own
mouth.”
Then the whole assembly of them
arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him,
saying,
“We found this man misleading our
people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to
Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ,
a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king
of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief
priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his
teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to
here.”
On hearing this Pilate asked if the
man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was
under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in
Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for
a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him
perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes,
meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him
contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in
resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends
that very day,
even though they had been enemies
formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief
priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this
man to me
and accused him of inciting the
people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in
your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought
against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back
to us.
So no capital crime has been
committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged
and then release him.”
But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been
imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and
for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still
wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital
crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged
and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his
crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their
demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had
been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom
they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them
to deal with as they wished.
As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a
Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind
Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed
Jesus,
including many women who
mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not
weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for
your children
for indeed, the days are coming
when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the
mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when
the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be
executed.
When they came to the place called
the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals
there,
one on his right, the other on his
left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not
what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting
lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at
him and said,
“He saved others, let him save
himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of
God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him
wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save
yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription
that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”
Now one of the criminals hanging
there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him,
said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same
condemnation?
And indeed, we have been
condemned justly,
for the sentence we received
corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing
criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you
come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in
Paradise.”
It was now about noon and darkness
came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn
down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend
my spirit”;
and when he had said this he
breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short
time.
The centurion who witnessed what
had happened glorified God and
said,
“This man was innocent beyond
doubt.”
When all the people who had
gathered for this spectacle saw what
had happened,
they returned home beating their
breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a
distance,
including the women who had
followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
Now there was a virtuous and
righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the
council,
had not consented to their plan of
action.
He came from the Jewish town of
Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of
God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the
body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been
buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from
Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was
laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices
and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath
according to the commandment.
Or LK 23:1-49
The elders of the people, chief
priests and scribes,
arose and brought Jesus before
Pilate.
They brought charges against him,
saying,
“We found this man misleading our
people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to
Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ,
a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king
of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief
priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his
teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to
here.”
On hearing this Pilate asked if the
man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was
under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in
Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for
a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him
perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes,
meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him
contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in
resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends
that very day,
even though they had been enemies
formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief
priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this
man to me
and accused him of inciting the
people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in
your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought
against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back
to us.
So no capital crime has been
committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged
and then release him.”
But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been
imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and
for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still
wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital
crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged
and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his
crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their
demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had
been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom
they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them
to deal with as they wished.
As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a
Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind
Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed
Jesus,
including many women who
mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not
weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for
your children
for indeed, the days are coming
when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the
mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when
the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be
executed.
When they came to the place called
the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals
there,
one on his right, the other on his
left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not
what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting
lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at
him and said,
“He saved others, let him save
himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of
God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him
wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save
yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription
that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”
Now one of the criminals hanging
there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him,
said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same
condemnation?
And indeed, we have been
condemned justly,
for the sentence we received
corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing
criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you
come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in
Paradise.”
It was now about noon and darkness
came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn
down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend
my spirit”;
and when he had said this he
breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short
time.
The centurion who witnessed what
had happened glorified God and
said,
“This man was innocent beyond
doubt.”
When all the people who had
gathered for this spectacle
saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their
breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a
distance,
including the women who had
followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
