First Reading

First reading

Reading from the book of Isaiah

Isaiah 50:4-7

At that time, Isaiah said:
«The Lord has given me a well-trained tongue,
that I may know how to comfort the weary
with words of encouragement.

Morning after morning, the Lord opens my ear,
that I may hear as a disciple.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I have not resisted
or turned away.

I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
I did not shield my face
from insults and spitting.

But the Lord God is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know I shall not be put to shame.»

Second reading

Reading from the letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Philippians

Philippians 2:6-11

Christ, though 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 death,
even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that 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.

Gospel

Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 27:11-54

Jesus stood before the procurator, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he gave him no answer, so that the procurator was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast, the procurator was accustomed to grant the crowd the release of one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.

While he was still seated on the tribunal, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I have suffered much in a dream today because of him.”

The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The procurator said to them in reply, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They all said, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They all said, “Crucify him!” Pilate said, “But what evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him!” 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, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he had scourged and handed over to be crucified.

The soldiers of the procurator led him away and took him inside the praetorium. They gathered the whole battalion around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a military cloak about him. 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, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed and struck him on the head. After they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to be crucified.

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha, which means “Place of the Skull.” They gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” With him they crucified two thieves, one on his right and one on his left.

Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You 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!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he loves him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The thieves who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.”

Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in vinegar, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a few moments.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 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, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”