FRIDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD (Good Friday) (10 April 2020)

7. FIRST READING (He himself was wounded for our sins.) (Fourth oracle of the Servant of the Lord.)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (52:13-53:12)

See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted. Even as many were amazed at him—so marred was his look beyond human semblance, and his appearance beyond that of the sons of man—so shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it.

Who would believe what we have heard? To whomhas the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth;there was in him no stately bearing to make us look athim, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by people, a man of suffering,accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom peoplehide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem.

Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferingsthat he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was thechastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we werehealed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each followinghis own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all.

Though he was harshly treated, he submitted andopened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. Oppressed and condemned, he was takenaway, and who would have thought any more of hisdestiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living,and smitten for the sin of his people, a grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. But the Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.

If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall seehis descendants in a long life, and the will of the Lord shall be accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction he shall see the light infullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shalljustify many, and their guilt he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses. —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17,25)

R. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. (Lk 23:46)

In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me. Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God. (R)

For all my foes I am an object of reproach, a laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; they who see me abroad flee from me. I am forgotten like the unremembered dead; I am like a dish that is broken. (R)

But my trust is in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God. In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.” (R)

Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in yourkindness. Take courage and be stouthearted, all you whohope in the Lord. (R)

8. SECOND READING (Jesus learned obedience and became the source of salvation for all who obey him.)

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (4:14-16; 5:7-9)

Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested inevery way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offeredprayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternalsalvation for all who obey him. —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

The narrative of the Lord’s Passion is read without candles and without incense, with no greeting or signing of the book. It is read by a Deacon or, if there is no Deacon, by a Priest. It may also be read by readers, with the part of Christ, if possible, reserved to a Priest.

Deacons, but not others, ask for the blessing of the Priest before singing the Passion, as at other times before the Gospel.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Phil 2:8-9)

R. Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ became obedient to the point of death, even deathon a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him andbestowed on him the name which is above every othername. (R)

9. Then the narrative of the Lord’s Passion according to John (18:1-19:42) is read in the same way as on the preceding Sunday.

GOSPEL (The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.)

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (18:1-19:42)

(J-Jesus; NNarrator; OOther Single Speaker; CCrowd.)

N.Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidronvalley to where there was a garden, into which he andhis disciples entered. Judas his betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with hisdisciples. So Judas got a band of soldiers and guardsfrom the chief priests and the Pharisees and went there with lanterns, torches and weapons. Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and said to them,

J.Whom are you looking for?”

N.They answered him,

C.“Jesus the Nazorean.”

N.Jesus said to them,

J.I AM.”

N.Judas his betrayer was also with them. When Jesussaid to them, “I AM,” they turned away and fell to theground. So Jesus again asked them,

J.Whom are you looking for?”

N.They said,

C.“Jesus the Nazorean.”

N.Jesus answered,

J.I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”

N.This was to fulfill what Jesus had said, “I have not lost any of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter,

J.Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”

N.So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewishguards seized Jesus, bound him, and brought him toAnnas first. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas whohad counseled the Jews that it was better that one manshould die rather than the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Now the other disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus. But Peter stood at the gate outside. So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in. Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter,

O.“You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?”

N.Peter said,

O.“I am not.”

N.Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire that they had made, because it was cold, and were warming themselves. Peter was also standing there keeping warm.

The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciplesand about his doctrine. Jesus answered him,

JI have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue or in the temple area where all the Jews gather, and in secret I have said nothing. Why ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said.”

N.When Jesus had said this, one of the temple guardsstanding there struck him and said,

O.“Is this the way you answer the high priest?”

N.Jesus answered him,

J.If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?”

N.Then Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas the highpriest.

Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm.And they said to Peter,

O.“You are not one of his disciples, are you?”

N.Peter denied it and said,

O.“I am not.”

N.One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off , said,

O.“Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”

N.Again Peter denied it. And immediately the cockcrowed.

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to thepraetorium. It was morning. And they themselves didnot enter the praetorium, in order not to be defiled sothat they could eat the Passover. So Pilate came out tothem and said,

O.“What charge do you bring against this man?”

N.They answered and said to Pilate,

C.“If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.”

N.At this, Pilate said to them,

O.“Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.”

N.The Jews answered him,

C.“We do not have the right to execute anyone,”

N.in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled that he said indicating the kind of death he would die. So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him,

O.“Are you the King of the Jews?”

N.Jesus answered,

J.Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?”

N.Pilate answered,

O.“I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

N.Jesus answered,

J.My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”

N.So Pilate said to Jesus,

O.“Then you are a king?”

N.Jesus answered,

J.You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

N.Pilate said to Jesus,

O.“What is truth?”

N.When Pilate had said this, he again went out to theJews and said to them,

O.“I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

N.They cried out again,

C.“Not this one but Barabbas!”

N.Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And thesoldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it onhis head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and theycame to him and said,

C.“Hail, King of the Jews!”

N.And they struck him repeatedly. Once more Pilate went out and said to them,

O.“Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”

N.So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And Pilate said to them,

O.“Behold, the man!”

N.When the chief priests and the guards saw Jesus they cried out,

C.“Crucify him, crucify him!”

N.Pilate said to them,

O.“Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.”

N.The Jews answered,

C.“We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”

N.Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid, and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus,

O.“Where are you from?”

N.Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to him,

O.“Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?”

N.Jesus answered him,

J.You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

N.Consequently, Pilate tried to release Jesus; but the Jews cried out,

C.“If you release him, you are not a friend of Caesar.

Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

N.When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesusout and seated him on the judge’s bench in the placecalled Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It wasPreparation Day for Passover, and it was about noon.

And Pilate said to the Jews.

O.“Behold, your king!”

N.They cried out,

C.“Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!”

N.Pilate said to them,

O.“Shall I crucify your king?”

N.The chief priests answered,

C.“We have no king but Caesar.”

N.Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself,Jesus went out to what is called the Place of the Skull,in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified him, andwith him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazorean, theKing of the Jews.” Now many of the Jews read thisinscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,

C.“Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”

N.Pilate answered,

O.“What I have written, I have written.”

N.When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. So they said to one another,

C.“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,”

N.in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says: They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. This is what the soldiers did.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother,

J.Woman, behold, your son.”

N.Then Jesus said to the disciple,

J.Behold, your mother.”

N.And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished, inorder that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said,

J.I thirst.”

N.There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to Jesus’ mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

J.It is finished.”

N.And bowing his head, Jesus handed over the spirit.

(Here all kneel down and pause for a short time.)

Now since it was Preparation Day, in order that thebodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and that they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. The eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may come to believe. For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled: Not a bone of it will be broken. And again another passage says: They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he couldremove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. SoJoseph came and took Jesus’ body.

Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him atnight, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.

Now in the place where Jesus had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish Preparation Day; for the tomb was close by. —The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

10. After the reading of the Lord’s Passion, the Priest gives a brief homily and, at its end, the faithful may be invited to spend a short time in prayer.

The Solemn Intercessions

11. The Liturgy of the Word concludes with the Solemn Intercessions, which take place in this way: the Deacon, if a Deacon is present, or if he is not, a

So, they took Jesus, carrying the cross Himself.”

The image of Jesus carrying his cross is one of the most searing ones we see in depictions of his Passion and Death. Both in paintings and in films about the Christ and his Passion, we cannot turn away from the horror and pain we  feel deep in our heart as Jesus drags the heavy pieces of wood on his bruised and bleeding shoulders, the blood from the piercing crown of thorns nearly blinding his vision as he stumbles, trips and falls under the weight of the cross making his way slowly amidst people jeering at him, spitting on him, striking him and goading him.

They took Jesus, carrying the cross Himself.

As a young boy, I had moments of childish courage thinking, “If I were Simon the Cyrenian from the Passion account of Matthew, I would gladly have helped Jesus, lifting some of the weight and burden from his shoulders.” More recently, there is a meme or iconic photo of a bronze statue of Jesus falling under the weight of the cross. A little girl of perhaps 3 or 4 stoops behind the fallen Jesus and tries to help lift the lower part of the cross to relieve the weight.

They took Jesus, carrying the cross Himself.

          What are the crosses large and small that we carry or bear each day?

Is it a crisis of the financial burdens of a marriage and family?

Is it the cross of raising small children, or children with special needs?

Or is it something seemingly mundane such as chores we have to do each day or week to maintain our life – doing laundry, cleaning, cooking, caring for an elderly loved one.

The crosses we bear… Some are big, some small; some painful; some life-threatening.

The struggles of a son or daughter and trying to assure the right education.

The diagnosis of an illness or hearing the word “cancer.”

Social disorder that disrupts the rhythm of our life.

Sudden shortages of foods and supplies.

The fears we now face surrounded by a mysterious virus and pandemic that takes lives so quickly.

There are also cross we take on that are redemptive, such as lending an ear ready to listen to another’s troubles even when it interrupts on our time; or the shoulder available for another to cry on; or the smile that readily comforts; or the heart that never fails to break with another. These too are crosses we bear.

Spouses and children can occasionally seem like a cross to bear; but we know too that people who love others – spouse, children or friends, readily bear the cross of friendship out of love and understanding.

These too are crosses.

It is true that most often we think of crosses as burdens, both things and people that demand so much – draining energy, attention and time from us.

We see our sufferings and or own human weaknesses and vulnerabilities as crosses that condemn us to living in fear, sadness and despair. Oh, how often would we like to just lay aside these crosses and walk away free, never to be bothered by them again.

Brothers and sisters, the real crosses we bear, the ones that God has placed on our shoulders and that Christ himself bears with us – these are sources not of pain and sorrow but of hope, joy, of life and of resurrection. These are not crosses that weigh us down and limit us, but they are the means for us to live our life to the fullest, and to understand that the meaning of our life has purpose under God’s protection – as it is God Himself who set the cross on our shoulders and knows of our personal strength to carry it.

On this Good Friday we remember the day Jesus, in a spirit of total obedience to the Father and out of love for us took up his cross. The wood of His cross has become the Tree of the Resurrection and of Easter. We sing, “Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the salvation of the world!”

The crosses we bear are taken up in the spirit of Jesus – with humility, compassion and unfathomable love – and through his help, they become vehicles of our own salvation in Him.

Today, let us place at the foot of the cross all our yearnings, our fears, our needs, our wants, our sorrows and our pain. Let us – in the words of an old familiar Good Friday hymn, stand at the foot of the cross and TREMBLE, TREMBLE, TREMBLE as we place all our troubles on the cross of Christ –

Let us trust in the strength of the Lord who takes up his cross – the cross which has conquered fear and death and given us salvation! Come, let us adore.

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