29/03/2026
βπππ ππΌπππππ ππ πΎπππππ: ππππ ππππ πππ πππΏβ πΏβοΈ
MARCH 29, 2026 | PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION | LENTEN SEASON | START OF HOLY WEEK
MASS PRESIDER: REV. FR. KERVIN B. ROLDAN, PH.L., MA
MASS SCHEDULE: SUNDAY @ 8:00AM
Open your Bible and Read the Gospel reading according to Matthew 26:14-27:66;
14 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, βWhat are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?β They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
16 and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, βWhere do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?β
18 He said, βGo into the city to a certain man and tell him, βThe teacher says, βMy appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.βββ
19 The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve.
21 And while they were eating, he said, βAmen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.β
22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, βSurely it is not I, Lord?β
23 He said in reply, βHe who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.
24 The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.β
25 Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, βSurely it is not I, Rabbi?β He answered, βYou have said so.β
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, βTake and eat; this is my body.β
27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, βDrink from it, all of you,
28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.β
30 Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, βThis night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed;
32 but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.β
33 Peter said to him in reply, βThough all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.β
34 Jesus said to him, βAmen, I say to you, this very night before the c**k crows, you will deny me three times.β
35 Peter said to him, βEven though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.β And all the disciples spoke likewise.
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, βSit here while I go over there and pray.β
37 He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress.
38 Then he said to them, βMy soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.β
39 He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, βMy Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.β
40 When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, βSo you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
41 Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.β
42 Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, βMy Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!β
43 Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open.
44 He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again.
45 Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, βAre you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
46 Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.β
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
48 His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, βThe man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.β
49 Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, βHail, Rabbi!β and he kissed him.
50 Jesus answered him, βFriend, do what you have come for.β Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
51 And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priestβs servant, cutting off his ear.
52 Then Jesus said to him, βPut your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
53 Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?β
55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, βHave you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me.
56 But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.β Then all the disciples left him and fled.
57 Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priestβs courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death,
60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward
61 who stated, βThis man said, βI can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.ββ
62 The high priest rose and addressed him, βHave you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?β
63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, βI order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.β
64 Jesus said to him in reply, βYou have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see βthe Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Powerβ and βcoming on the clouds of heaven.ββ
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, βHe has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy;
66 what is your opinion?β They said in reply, βHe deserves to die!β
67 Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him,
68 saying, βProphesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?β
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, βYou too were with Jesus the Galilean.β
70 But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, βI do not know what you are talking about!β
71 As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, βThis man was with Jesus the Nazorean.β
72 Again he denied it with an oath, βI do not know the man!β
73 A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, βSurely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away.β
74 At that he began to curse and to swear, βI do not know the man.β And immediately a c**k crowed.
75 Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: βBefore the c**k crows you will deny me three times.β He went out and began to weep bitterly.
1 When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people
took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
2 They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3 Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, βI have sinned in betraying innocent blood.β They said, βWhat is that to us? Look to it yourself.β
5 Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, βIt is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.β
7 After consultation, they used it to buy the potterβs field as a burial place for foreigners.
8 That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.
9 Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet,
And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the value of a man with a price on his head,
a price set by some of the Israelites,
10 and they paid it out for the potterβs field
just as the Lord had commanded me.
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, βAre you the king of the Jews?β Jesus said, βYou say so.β
12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.
13 Then Pilate said to him, βDo you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?β
14 But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
15 Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished.
16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
17 So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, βWhich one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?β
18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.
19 While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, βHave nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.β
20 The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.
21 The governor said to them in reply, βWhich of the two do you want me to release to you?β They answered, βBarabbas!β
22 Pilate said to them, βThen what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?β They all said, βLet him be crucified!β
23 But he said, βWhy? What evil has he done?β They only shouted the louder, βLet him be crucified!β
24 When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, βI am innocent of this manβs blood. Look to it yourselves.β
25 And the whole people said in reply, βHis blood be upon us and upon our children.β
26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him.
28 They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
29 Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, βHail, King of the Jews!β
30 They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.
31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him.
32 As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.
33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull),
34 they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
35 After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots;
36 then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
37 And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left.
39 Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads
40 and saying, βYou who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!β
41 Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,
42 βHe saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, βI am the Son of God.ββ
44 The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.
45 From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
46 And about three oβclock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, βEli, Eli, lema sabachthani?β which means, βMy God, my God, why have you forsaken me?β
47 Some of the bystanders who heard it said, βThis one is calling for Elijah.β
48 Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.
49 But the rest said, βWait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.β
50 But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.
51 And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split,
52 tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
53 And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
54 The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, βTruly, this was the Son of God!β
55 There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
56 Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus.
58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.
59 Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen
60 and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.
61 But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.
62 The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate
63 and said, βSir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, βAfter three days I will be raised up.β
64 Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, βHe has been raised from the dead.β This last imposture would be worse than the first.β
65 Pilate said to them, βThe guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can.β
66 So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.
REFLECTION:
In this powerful Gospel, we witness the depth of human weakness and the even greater depth of Christβs love. From Judasβ betrayal to Peterβs denial, from unjust accusations to the suffering on the cross, Jesus is surrounded by pain, rejection, and silence. Yet, He responds not with anger, but with humility, obedience, and mercy. Every step toward Calvary reveals that His love is not dependent on human faithfulness, but rooted in divine purpose.
This passage invites us to reflect on our own moments of weaknessβwhen we fail, doubt, or turn away. Still, Jesus continues to choose us, to carry the cross, and to offer redemption. His sacrifice reminds us that true love is not easy or convenientβit is patient, self-giving, and willing to endure all things for the sake of others.
PRAYER:
Lord, in moments when I am weak or afraid, remind me of Your steadfast love. Help me to follow You with courage, to remain faithful in trials, and to trust in Your mercy. Amen.
π· Lawrence Inaudito
