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Sunday – 13 April 2014
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Verses:
At the Procession with
Palms: Matthew 21:1-11
First Reading : Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm : Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24
Second Reading : Philippians 2:6-11
Gospel : Matthew
26:14 – 27:66
or Matthew 27:11-54
AT THE PROCESSION WITH PALMS: From the Gospel of
Matthew (Matthew 21:1-11)
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
21 As they approached Jerusalem and
came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying
to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once
you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring
them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to
you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This
took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter
Zion,
‘See,
your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went
and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They
brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to
sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread
their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread
them on the road. 9 The crowds that
went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered
Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in
Galilee.”
FIRST READING: A Reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah
50:4-7)
4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed
tongue,
to
know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens
my ear to listen like one being instructed.
5 The Sovereign Lord has opened
my ears;
I
have not been rebellious,
I
have not turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who beat me,
my
cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from
mocking and spitting.
7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I
will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
and
I know I will not be put to shame.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24)
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let
the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since
he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me
out of the womb;
you
made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
17 All my bones are on display;
people
stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and
cast lots for my garment.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You
are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
my
precious life from the power of the dogs.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All
you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere
him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
the
suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but
has listened to his cry for help.
SECOND READING: A Reading from the Pastoral Letter to
Philippians (Philippians 2:6-11)
6 Who, being in very
nature God,
did
not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by
taking the very nature of a servant,
being
made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he
humbled himself
by
becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place
and
gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow,
in
heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus
Christ is Lord,
to
the glory of God the Father.
GOSPEL: A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to Matthew
(Matthew 26:14 – 27:66)
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the
chief priests 15 and
asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they
counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From
then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
The Last Supper
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples
came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to
eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into
the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is
near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus
had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he
said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other,
“Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one
who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as
it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It
would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t
mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given
thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to
them, saying, “Drink from it,
all of you. 28 This
is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink
from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with
you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is
written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and
the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But
after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never
will.”
34 “Truly
I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will
disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never
disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and
he said to them, “Sit here while
I go over there and pray.” 37 He
took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be
sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said
to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the
point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and
prayed, “My Father, if it is
possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into
temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be
taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes
were heavy. 44 So
he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same
thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour
has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my
betrayer!”
Jesus Arrested
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With
him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests
and the elders of the people. 48 Now
the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man;
arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus,
Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do
what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus
and arrested him. 51 With
that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck
the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put
your sword back in its place,”
Jesus said to him, “for all who
draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he
will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled
that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and
clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did
not arrest me. 56 But
this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest,
where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a
distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down
with the guards to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false
evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any,
though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow
said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going
to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you
under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You
have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see
the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the
clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken
blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the
blasphemy. 66 What
do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others
slapped him 68 and
said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
Peter Disowns Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came
to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him
and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and
said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t
know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word
Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will
disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Judas Hangs Himself
27 Early in the morning, all the
chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus
executed.
2 So they bound him, led him away and handed
him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When
Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with
remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the
elders. 4 “I
have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied.
“That’s your responsibility.”
5 So
Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged
himself.
6 The
chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this
into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the
potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That
is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was
fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the
people of Israel, 10 and they used them
to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Jesus Before Pilate
11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked
him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no
answer. 13 Then
Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”
14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a
single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a
prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At
that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked
them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who
is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew
it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this
message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered
a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for
Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the
governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify
him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an
uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd.
“I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and
handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and
gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a
scarlet robe on him, 29 and then
twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in
his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of
the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on
him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe
and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and
they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means
“the place of the skull”). 34 There
they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he
refused to drink it. 35 When they had
crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.
37 Above his head they placed the written
charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his
left. 39 Those
who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the
temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if
you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same
way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.
42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t
save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross,
and we will believe in him. 43 He
trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the
Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the
rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the
land. 46 About
three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli,
Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s
calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine
vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him
alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his
spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to
bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy
people who had died were raised to life. 53 They
came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and
appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw
the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed,
“Surely he was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed
Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother
of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
The Burial of Jesus
57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named
Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for
Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen
cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new
tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the
entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and
the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,”
they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said,
‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So
give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise,
his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been
raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you
know how.” 66 So
they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting
the guard.
Blessed
are those who have not seen and have believed. There is here a particular
reference to ourselves; we hold in our hearts one we have not seen in the
flesh. We are included in these words, but only if we follow up our faith with
good works. The true believer practices what he believes. But of those who pay
only lip service to faith, Paul has this to say: They profess to know God, but
they deny him in their works. Therefore James says: Faith without works is
dead.
--
St.Gregory the Great
For the mass, you may visit Sunday
TV Mass at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSs5bpje28U
Source:
New International
Version (NIV)
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