Churches of the Day

Friday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Both Jesus and Jeremiah were faced by disbelieving followers  but both were supported
by the knowledge that the Lord was on their side.

FIRST READING

A reading from the prophet Jeremiah         20:10-13
The Lord is at my side, a mighty hero.

Jeremiah said:
'I hear so many disparaging me, ''Terror from every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!''
All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall,
'Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!'
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.

But you, the Lord of hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord, Praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.'

The Word of the Lord              Thanks be to God


Responsorial Psalm           Ps 17:2-7. R/ v 7.
Response                                 In my anguish I called to the Lord and he heard my voice.

1. I love you, Lord, my strength, my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge; my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise: when I call I am saved from my foes.                Response           

2. The waves of death rose about me; the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the snares of the grave entangled me; the traps of death confronted me.            Response           

3. In my anguish I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears                                Response

Gospel  Acclamation                             Mt 4: 17
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

or                                                               Jn 6:63. 68
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you.                 And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to John      10:31-42             Glory to you, O Lord
They wanted to arrest Jesus then, but he eluded them.

The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, 'I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?'
The Jews answered him,
'We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.'
Jesus answered:
'Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word 'gods' of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and scripture cannot be rejected. Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, "You are blaspheming", because he says, "I am the Son of God.'
If I am not doing my Father's work, there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for sure that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.'

They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising.
Many people who came to him there said, 'John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true'; and many of them believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.         Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.



Gospel Reflection         Friday         Fifth Week of Lent         John 10:31-42

In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah cries out in response to all who are opposing him, ‘Terror from every side’. I am sure those in besieged and shelled cities today could cry out ‘Terror on every side!’ They could equally say in the words of today’s Responsorial Psalm, ‘The waves of death rose about me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the snares of the grave entangled me; the traps of death confronted me’. The forces of death are bringing anguish to many in conflict zones at present. The same forces of death are ranged against Jesus in the gospel reading. Some people want to stone him because of the claim he makes to be the Son of God. ‘You are blaspheming’, they say. In time, Jesus would be put to death, not by stoning but by the Roman form of execution reserved for certain kinds of criminals, crucifixion. Jesus, now risen Lord, identifies with all who are being terrorized and brutalized. He continues to travel his way of the cross through them. He cries out to us through them. He is crying out to those who are inflicting the violence and terror, but his cries are falling on deaf ears. He cries out to all of us to do whatever we can to support and help the victims of violence.

These cries are not falling on deaf ears as many people from nations throughout Europe and elsewhere open their homes to refugees and support fund raising efforts to help those in greatest need. In the gospel reading, Jesus refers to his ‘many good works’. The Lord’s many good works continue today through all who are doing what they can to respond to the cries of all who are being brutalized by war. These many good works are what Jesus refers to in that reading as ‘my Father’s work’. It is God’s work. In the face of all death-dealing aggression, God needs us all to do his life-giving and life-saving work. Our good works are a sign that God and his Son are at work in and through us.

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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers.  http://dltbooks.com/


The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings : The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications , c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

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Memorable Saying for Today

Only a life of service for others is a life worthwhile.

~ Albert Einstein ~

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( Sixth Sunday, Lent 🙂 PALM SUNDAY of the LORD's PASSION

The Procession Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11

When they were near Jerusalem and had come in sight of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village facing you, and you will immediately find a tethered donkey and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, "The Master needs them and will send them back directly".'
This took place to fulfil the prophecy:
'Say to the daughter of Zion: Look, your king comes to you; he is humble,
he rides on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'

So the disciples went out and did as Jesus had told them. They brought the donkey and the colt, then they laid their cloaks on their backs and he sat on them. Great crowds of people spread their cloaks on the road, while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in his path. The crowds who went in front of him and those who followed were all shouting:
'Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heavens!'

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil. 'Who is this?' people asked,
and the  crowds answered, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee'.

The Gospel of the Lord    Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
                                                                            Today's Mass Readings
FIRST READING       

A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah              50:4-7
I did not cover my face against insult-I know I shall not be shamed.

The Lord has given me a disciple's tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple.
The Lord has opened my ear.
For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face against insult and spittle.
The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed.

The Word of the Lord.    Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm   Ps 21: 8-9. 17-20. 23.24. R/v 2
Response                       My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

1. All who see me deride me. They curl their lips, they toss their heads.
   'He trusted in the Lord, let him save him; let him release him if this is his friend.'       Response

2. Many dogs have surrounded me, a band of the wicked beset me.
    They tear holes in my hands and my feet. I can count everyone of my bones.               Response

3. They divide my clothing among them. They cast lots for my robe.
    O Lord, do not leave me alone, my strength, make haste to help me!                             Response

4. I will tell of your name to my brethren and praise you where they are assembled.
    'You who fear the Lord give him praise; all sons of Jacob, give him glory.
Revere him, Israel's sons.'                                                                                                            Response

SECOND READING

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Philippians                   2:6-11
He humbled himself, but God raised him high.

His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God
but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave,
and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death, death on a cross.
But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names
so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord          Thanks be to God.

Gospel  Acclamation      Phil 2: 8-9
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
Christ was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.
But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all names.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
according to Matthew  (26:14-27:66)

One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,
'What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?'
They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say,
'Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the 'passover?'
'Go to so-and-so in the city' he replied 'and say to him,
The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples."'
The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.

When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said
'I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me'
They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, 'Not I, Lord, surely?'
He answered, 'Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!
Better for that man if he had never been born!'
Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, 'Not I, Rabbi, surely?'
'They are your own words' answered Jesus.

Now as they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples. 'Take it and eat;' he said 'this is my body.'
Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them.
'Drink all of you from this,' he said 'for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. From now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.'

After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,
'You will all lose faith in me this night, for the scripture says: "I shall strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered," but after my resurrection I shall go before you to Galilee".
At this, Peter said, 'Though all lose faith in you, I will never lose faith'.
Jesus answered him, 'I tell you solemnly, this very night, before the cock crows, you will have disowned me three times'. Peter said to him, 'Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you'. And all the disciples said the same.

Then Jesus came with them to a small estate called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples,
'Stay here while I go over there to pray'.
He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. And sadness came over him, and great distress. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and keep awake with me.'
And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed.
'My Father,' he said 'if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.' He came back to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'So you had not the strength to keep awake with me one hour? You should be awake, and praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.'

Again, a second time, he went away and prayed:
'My Father,' he said 'If this cup cannot pass by without my drinking it, your will be done!' And he came back again and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy. Leaving them there, he went away again and prayed for the third time, repeating the same words. Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, 'You can sleep on now and take your rest. Now the hour has come when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up! Let us go! My betrayer is already close at hand.'
He was still speaking when Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared, and with him a large number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now the traitor had arranged a sign with them.
'The one I kiss,' he had said 'he is the man. Take him in charge.' So he went straight up to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi', and kissed him.
Jesus said to him, 'My friend, do what you are here for'.

Then they came forward, seized Jesus and took him in charge. At that, one of the followers of Jesus grasped his sword and drew it; he struck out at the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus then said, 'Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father who would promptly send more than twelve legions of angels to my defence? But then, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that say this is the way it must be?'
It was at this time that Jesus said to the crowds,
'Am I a brigand, that you had to set out to capture me with swords and clubs? I sat teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid hands on me.'
Now all this happened to fulfil the prophecies in scripture. Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.

The men who had arrested Jesus led him off to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter followed him at a distance, and when he reached the high priest's palace, he went in and sat down with the attendants to see what the end would be. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus, however false, on which they might pass the death-sentence. But they could not find any, though several lying witnesses came forward. Eventually two stepped forward and made a statement,
'This man said, "I have power to destroy the Temple of God and in three days build it up."
'The high priest then stood up and said to him, 'Have you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?' But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, 'I put you on oath by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God'.
'The words are your own' answered Jesus. 'Moreover, I tell you that from this time onward you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.'
At this, the high priest tore his clothes and said, 'He has blasphemed. What need of witnesses have we now? There! You have just heard the blasphemy. What is your opinion?' They answered, 'He deserves to die'. Then they spat in his face and hit him with their fists; others said as they struck him, 'Play the prophet, Christ! Who hit you then?'

Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said, 'You too were with Jesus the Galilean'. But he denied it in front of them all. 'I do not know what you are talking about' he said. When he went out to the gateway another servant-girl saw him and said to the people there, 'This man was with Jesus the Nazarene'. And again, with an oath, he denied it, 'I do not know the man'. A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, 'You are one of them for sure! Why, your accent gives you away.'
Then he started calling down curses on himself and swearing, 'I do not know the man'. At that moment the cock crew, and Peter remembered what Jesus had said, 'Before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times'. And he went outside and wept bitterly When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people met in council to bring about the death of Jesus. They had him bound, and led him away to hand him over to Pilate, the governor.

When he found that Jesus had been condemned, Judas his betrayer was filled with remorse and took the thirty silver pieces back to the chief priests and elders. 'I have sinned;' he said 'I have betrayed innocent blood' 'What is that to us?' they replied 'That is your concern.' And flinging down the silver pieces in the sanctuary he made off and hanged himself; The chief priests picked up the silver pieces and said, 'It is against the Law to put this into the treasury; it is blood-money'. So they discussed the matter and bought the potter's field with it as a graveyard for foreigners, and this is why the field is called the Field of Blood today. The words of the prophet Jeremiah were then fulfilled: And they took the thirty silver pieces, the sum at which the precious One was priced by children of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, just as the Lord directed me.

Jesus, then, was brought before the governor, and the governor put to him this question, 'Are you the king of the Jews?'
Jesus replied, 'It is you who say it'.
But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders he refused to answer at all. Pilate then said to him, 'Do you not hear how many charges they have brought against you?' But to the governor's complete amazement, he offered no reply to any of the charges. At festival time it was the governor's practice to release a prisoner for the people, anyone they chose. Now there was at that time a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas. So when the crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, 'Which do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?' For Pilate knew it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. Now as he was seated in the chair of judgement, his wife sent him a message, 'Have nothing to do with that man; I have been upset all day by a dream I had about him'. The chief priests and the elders, however, had persuaded the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. So when the governor spoke and asked them, 'Which of the two do you want me to release for you?' they said, 'Barabbas'. 'But in that case,' Pilate said to them 'What am I to do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said, 'Let him be crucified!' 'Why?' he asked 'What harm has he done?' But they shouted all the louder, 'Let him be crucified!'

Then Pilate saw that he was making no impression, that in fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, 'I am innocent of this man's blood. It is your concern.' And the people, to a man, shouted back, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' Then he released Barabbas for them. He ordered Jesus to be first scourged and then handed over to be crucified.

The governor's soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and collected the whole cohort round him. Then they stripped him and made him wear a scarlet cloak, and having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him they knelt to him saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head with it. And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the cloak and dressed him in his own clothes and led him away to crucify him.

On their way out, they came across a man from Cyrene, Simon by name, and enlisted him to carry his cross. When they had reached a place called Golgotha, that is, the place of the skull, they gave him wine to drink mixed with gall, which he tasted but refused to drink. When they had finished crucifying him they shared out his clothing by casting lots, and then sat down and stayed there keeping guard over him. Above his head was placed the charge against him; it read: 'This is Jesus, the King of the Jews'. At the same time two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.

The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, 'So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself! If you are God's son, come down from the cross!' The chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him in the same way. 'He saved others;' they said 'he cannot save himself. He is the king of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He puts his trust in God; now let God rescue him if he wants him. For he did say, "I am the Son of God".' Even the robbers who were crucified with him taunted him in the same way.

From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you deserted me?' When some of those who stood there heard this, they said, 'The man is calling on Elijah', and one of them quickly ran to get a sponge which he dipped in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink. 'Wait!' said the rest of them 'and see if Elijah will come to save him.' But Jesus, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.

(All kneel and pause a moment.)

At that, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked; the rocks were split; the tombs opened and the bodies of many holy men rose from the dead, and these, after his resurrection, came out of the tombs, entered the Holy City and appeared to a number of people. Meanwhile the centurion, together with the others guarding Jesus, had seen the earthquake and all that was taking place, and they were terrified and said:  'In truth this was a son of God.'

And many women were there, watching from a distance, the same women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

When it was evening, there came a rich man of Arimatbaea called Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate thereupon ordered it to be handed over. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean shroud and put it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away. Now Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre.

Next day, that is, when Preparation Day was over, the chief priests and the Pharisees went in a body to Pilate and said to him, 'Your Excellency, we recall that this impostor said, while he was still alive, "After three days I shall rise again." Therefore give the order to have the sepulchre kept secure until the third day, for fear his disciples come and steal him away and tell the people, "He has risen from the dead." This last piece of fraud would be worse than what went before. Pilate said to them: You may have your guards. Go and make all as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the sepulchre secure, putting seals on the stone and mounting a guard.

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Shorter form of the Passion by St Mathew: 27:11-54

Jesus, then, was brought before the governor, and the governor put to him this question, 'Are you the king of the Jews?'
Jesus replied, 'It is you who say it'.
But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders he refused to answer at all. Pilate then said to him, 'Do you not hear how many charges they have brought against you?' But to the governor's complete amazement, he offered no reply to any of the charges. At festival time it was the governor's practice to release a prisoner for the people, anyone they chose. Now there was at that time a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas. So when the crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, 'Which do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?' For Pilate knew it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. Now as he was seated in the chair of judgement, his wife sent him a message, 'Have nothing to do with that man; I have been upset all day by a dream I had about him'. The chief priests and the elders, however, had persuaded the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. So when the governor spoke and asked them, 'Which of the two do you want me to release for you?' they said, 'Barabbas'. 'But in that case,' Pilate said to them 'What am I to do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said, 'Let him be crucified!' 'Why?' he asked 'What harm has he done?' But they shouted all the louder, 'Let him be crucified!'

Then Pilate saw that he was making no impression, that in fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, 'I am innocent of this man's blood. It is your concern.' And the people, to a man, shouted back, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' Then he released Barabbas for them. He ordered Jesus to be first scourged and then handed over to be crucified.

The governor's soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and collected the whole cohort round him. Then they stripped him and made him wear a scarlet cloak, and having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him they knelt to him saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head with it. And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the cloak and dressed him in his own clothes and led him away to crucify him.

On their way out, they came across a man from Cyrene, Simon by name, and enlisted him to carry his cross. When they had reached a place called Golgotha, that is, the place of the skull, they gave him wine to drink mixed with gall, which he tasted but refused to drink. When they had finished crucifying him they shared out his clothing by casting lots, and then sat down and stayed there keeping guard over him. Above his head was placed the charge against him; it read: 'This is Jesus, the King of the Jews'. At the same time two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.

The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, 'So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself! If you are God's son, come down from the cross!' The chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him in the same way. 'He saved others;' they said 'he cannot save himself. He is the king of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He puts his trust in God; now let God rescue him if he wants him. For he did say, "I am the Son of God".' Even the robbers who were crucified with him taunted him in the same way.

From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you deserted me?' When some of those who stood there heard this, they said, 'The man is calling on Elijah', and one of them quickly ran to get a sponge which he dipped in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink. 'Wait!' said the rest of them 'and see if Elijah will come to save him.' But Jesus, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.

(All kneel and pause a moment.)

At that, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked; the rocks were split; the tombs opened and the bodies of many holy men rose from the dead, and these, after his resurrection, came out of the tombs, entered the Holy City and appeared to a number of people. Meanwhile the centurion, together with the others guarding Jesus, had seen the earthquake and all that was taking place, and they were terrified and said:  'In truth this was a son of God.'

And many women were there, watching from a distance, the same women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

When it was evening, there came a rich man of Arimatbaea called Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate thereupon ordered it to be handed over. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean shroud and put it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away. Now Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre.

Next day, that is, when Preparation Day was over, the chief priests and the Pharisees went in a body to Pilate and said to him, 'Your Excellency, we recall that this impostor said, while he was still alive, "After three days I shall rise again." Therefore give the order to have the sepulchre kept secure until the third day, for fear his disciples come and steal him away and tell the people, "He has risen from the dead." This last piece of fraud would be worse than what went before. Pilate said to them: You may have your guards. Go and make all as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the sepulchre secure, putting seals on the stone and mounting a guard.

 

        For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here:  https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/



Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyright 1966, by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.
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