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Semi-Double Observation
  Palm Sunday would be in any case a great and holy day, as it commemorates the last triumph of Our Lord Jesus Christ on earth and opens the Holy Week. On this day, the Church celebrates the triumphant entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem, when the multitude, going before and following after Him, cut off branches from the trees and strewed in His way, shouting: "Hosanna [glory and praise] to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord." It is in commemoration of this triumph that palms are blessed and borne in solemn procession. The principal ceremonies of the day are the blessing of the palms, the procession, and the Mass with the reading of the Passion. The blessing of the palms follows a ritual similar to that of the Mass, -- having an Epistle, a Gospel, a Preface, and a Sanctus. The Epistle refers to the murmuring of the Israelites in the desert, and their sighing for the flesh-pots of Egypt. The Gospel describes the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The prayers which follow the Sanctus ask God to "bless the branches of palm . . . that whoever receives them may find protection of soul and body . . . that into whatever place they shall be brought, the inhabitants may obtain His blessing; that the devout faithful may understand the mystical meaning of the ceremony, that is, that the palms represent the triumph over the prince of death . . . and therefore, the issue thereof declares both the greatness of the victory, and the riches of God's mercy." These ceremonies are the remainder of the early custom of having two Masses on this day: one for the blessing of the palms, the other after the procession. The prayers of the blessing, the Antiphon of the procession and the hymn Gloria laus make this one of the most impressive ceremonies of the Liturgical Year.
Early in the morning of this Day, Jesus sets out for Jerusalem, leaving Mary His Mother, and the two sisters Martha and Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus at Bethania. The Mother of sorrows trembles at seeing her Son thus expose Himself to danger, for His enemies are bent upon His destruction; but it is not death, it is triumph, that Jesus is to receive today in Jerusalem. The Messias, before being nailed to the cross, is to be proclaimed King by the people of the great city; the little children are to make her streets echo with their Hosannas to the Son of David; and this in presence of the soldiers of Rome's emperor, and of the high priests and pharisees: the first standing under the banner of their eagles; the second, dumb with rage. The prophet Zachary had foretold this triumph which the Son of Man was to receive a few days before His Passion, and which had been prepared for Him from all eternity. 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion! Shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold thy King will come to thee; the Just and the Savior. He is poor and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.'(1)- {Zach. ix. 9} Jesus, knowing that the hour has come for the fulfillment of this prophecy, singles out two from the rest of His disciples, and bids them lead to Him as ass and her colt, which they would find not far off. He has reached Bethphage, on Mount Olivet. The two disciples lose no time in executing the order given them by their divine Master; and the ass and the colt are soon brought to the place where He stands. The holy fathers have explained to us the mystery of these two animals. The ass represents the Jewish people, which had been long under the yoke of the Law; the colt, upon which, as the evangelist says, no man yet hath sat,(2)-{St. Mark. Xi. 2} is a figure of the Gentile world, which no one had ever yet brought into subjection. The future of these two peoples is to be decided a FEW DAYS hence the Jews will be rejected for having refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messias; the Gentiles will take their place, to be adopted as God's people, and become docile and faithful. The disciples spread their garments upon the colt; and our Savior, that the prophetic figure might be fulfilled, sits upon him,(3)-{Ibid.7, and St. Luke xix. 35} and advances towards Jerusalem. As soon as it is known that Jesus is near the city, the holy Spirit works in the hearts of those Jews, who have come from all parts to celebrate the feast of the Passover. They go out to meet our Lord, holding palm branches in their hands, and loudly proclaiming Him to be King.(1)-{St. Luke xix. 38} They that have accompanied Jesus from Bethania, join the enthusiastic crowd. Whilst some spread their garments on the way, others cut down boughs from the palm trees, and strew them along the road. Hosanna is the triumphant cry, proclaiming to the whole city that Jesus, the Son of David, has made His entrance as her King. Thus did God, in His power over men's hearts, procure a triumph for His Son, and in the very city which, a few days later, was to clamor for His Blood This day was one of glory to our Jesus, and the holy Church would have us renew, each year, the memory of this triumph of the Man-God. Shortly after the birth of our Emmanuel, we saw the Magi coming from the extreme east, and looking in Jerusalem for the King of the Jews, to whom they intended offering their gifts and their adorations; but it is Jerusalem herself that now goes forth to meet this King. Each of these events is an acknowledgment of the kingship of Jesus; the first, from the Gentiles; the second homage, before He suffered His Passion. The inscription to be put upon the cross, by Pilate's order, will express the kingly character of the Crucified Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Pilate, the Roman governor, the pagan, the base coward, has been unwittingly the fulfiller of a prophecy; and when the enemies of Jesus insist on the inscription being altered, Pilate will not deign to give them any answer but this: 'What I have written, I have written.' Today, it is the Jews themselves that proclaim Jesus to be their King; they will soon be dispersed, in punishment for their revolt against the Son of David; but Jesus is King, and will be so for ever. Thus were literally verified the words spoken by the Archangel to Mary, when he announced to her the glories of the Child that was to be born of her. 'The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David, His father; and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.'(1)- {St. Luke i 32} Jesus begins His reign upon the earth this very day; and though the first Israel is soon to disclaim His rule, a new Israel, formed from the faithful few of the old, shall rise up in every nation of the earth, and become the kingdom of Christ, a kingdom such as no mere earthly monarch ever coveted in his wildest fancies of ambition. This is the glorious mystery which ushers in the great week, the week of Dolours. Holy Church would have us give this momentary consolation to our heart, and hail our Jesus as our King. She has so arranged the service of today, that it should express both joy and sorrow; joy, by uniting herself with the loyal hosannas of the city of David; and sorrow, by compassionating the Passion of her divine Spouse...(pages 192-195) ...Let us lovingly go forth to meet this our King, our Savior, who comes to visit the daughter of Sion, as the prophet has just told us. He is in our midst; it is to Him that we pay honor with our palms: let us give Him our hearts too. He comes that He may be our King; let us welcome Him as such, and fervently cry out to Him: 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' (page 199) The Station at Rome is in the basilica of St. John Lateran, the mother and mistress of all Churches. The papal function, however, now takes place at St. Peter's; but the usual indulgences are still granted to those who visit the archbasilica. (page 218) [Comments on the Palm Sunday's Epistle] In obedience to the wishes of the Church, we have knelt down at those words of the apostle, where he says that every knee should bow at the holy name of Jesus. If there be one time of the year rather than another, when the Son of God has a right to our fervent adorations, it is this week, when we see Him insulted in His Passion. Not only should His sufferings excite us to tender compassion; we should also keenly resent the insults that are heaped upon our Jesus, the God of infinite majesty. Let us strive, by our humble homage, to make Him amends for the indignities He suffered in atonement for our pride. Let us united with the holy angels, who, witnessing what He has gone through for the love of man, prostrate themselves, in profoundest adoration, at the sight of His humiliations.(pages 219-220) [Final Comments for Palm Sunday following Solemn Vespers] Let us now go over in our minds the other events which happened to our divine Lord on this day of His solemn entry into Jerusalem. St. Luke tells us that it was on His approach to the city, that Jesus wept over it, and spoke these touching words: 'If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace! But now they are hidden from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, and thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side, and beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee; and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone; because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.'(1)- {St. Luke xix. 42-44} A few days ago, we were reading in the holy Gospel how Jesus wept over the tomb of Lazarus; today He shed tears over Jerusalem. At Bethania His weeping was caused by the sight of bodily death, the consequence and punishment of sin; but this death is not irremediable: Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and he that believieth in Him shall life. (1)-{St. John xi. 25} Whereas, the state of the unfaithful Jerusalem is a figure of the death of the soul, and from this there is no resurrection, unless the soul, while time is given to her, return to the Author of life. Hence it is, that the tears shed by Jesus over Jerusalem are so bitter. Amidst the acclamations which greet His entry into the city of David, His heart is sad; for He sees that many of her inhabitants will not profit of the time of her visitation. Let us console the Heart of our Jesus, and be to Him a faithful Jerusalem. The sacred historians tells us that Jesus, immediately upon His entrance into the city, went to the temple, and cast out all them that sold and bought there.(2)-{St. Matthew xxi 12} This was the second time that He had shown His authority in His Father's house and no one had dared to resist Him. The chief priests and pharisees found fault with Him, and accused Him to His face of causing confusion by His entry into the city; but our Lord confounded them by the reply He made. It is thus that in after ages, when it has pleased God to glorify His Son and the Church of His Son, the enemies of both have given vent to their rage; they protested against the triumph, but they could not stop it. But when God, in the unsearchable ways of His wisdom, allowed persecution and trial to follow these periods of triumph, then did these bitter enemies redouble their efforts to induce the very people that had cried Hosanna to the Son of David, to clamor for His being delivered up and crucified. They succeeded in fomenting persecution, but not in destroying the kingdom of Christ and His Church. The kingdom seemed, at times, to be interrupted in its progress; but the time for another triumph came. Thus will it be to the end; and then, after all these changes from glory to humiliation, and from humiliation to glory, the kingdom of Jesus and of His bride will gain the last and eternal triumph over this world, which would not know the time of its visitation. We learn from St. Matthew (1)-{St. Matt. xxi. 17} that our Savior spent the remainder of this day at Bethania. His blessed Mother and the house of Lazarus were comforted by His return. There was not a single offer of hospitality made to Him in Jerusalem, at least there is mention in the Gospel of any such offer. We cannot help making the reflection, as we meditate upon this event of our Lord's life:--an enthusiastic reception is given to Him in the morning, He is proclaimed by the people as their King; but when the evening of that day comes on, there is not one of all those thousands to offer Him food or lodging. In the Carmelite monasteries of St. Teresa's reform, there is a custom, which has been suggested by this thought, and is intended as a reparation for this ingratitude shown to our Redeemer. A table is placed in the middle of the refectory; and after the community have finished their dinner, the food which was placed upon that table is distributed among the poor, and Jesus is honored in them.(pages 238-240)
This morning, also, Jesus goes with His disciples to Jerusalem. He is fasting, for the Gospel, tells us that He was hungry.(1)-{St. Matt. xxi. 18} He approaches a fig-tree, which is by the way-side; but finds nothing on it, save leaves only. Jesus, wishing to give us an instruction, curses the fig-tree, which immediately withers away. He would hereby teach us what they are to expect, who have nothing but good desires, and never produce in themselves the fruit of a real conversion. Nor is the allusion to Jerusalem less evident. This city is zealous for the exterior of divine worship; but her heart is hard and obstinate, and she is plotting, at this very hour, the death of the Son of God. The greater portion of the day is spent in the temple, where Jesus holds long conversations with the chief priests and ancients of the people. His language to them is stronger than ever, and triumphs over all their captious questions. It is principally in the Gospel of St. Matthew(2)-{St. Matt. xxi. 18} that we shall find these answers of our Redeemer, which so energetically accuse the Jews of their sin of rejecting the Messias, and so plainly foretell the punishment their sin is to bring after it. At length Jesus leaves the temple and takes the road that leads to Bethania. Having come as far as Mount Olivet, which commands a view of Jerusalem, He sits down and rests awhile. The disciples take this opportunity of asking Him how soon the chastisements He has been speaking of in the temple will come upon the city. His answer comprises two events: the destruction of Jerusalem, and the final destruction of the world. He thus teaches them that the first is the figure of the second. The time when each is to happen, is to be when the measure of iniquity is filled up. But, with regard to the chastisement that is to befall Jerusalem, He gives this more definite answer: 'Amen I say to you: this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.'(1)- {St. Matt. xxiv. 34} He leaves Mount Olivet, returns to Bethania, and consoles the anxious heart of His most holy Mother...(pages 243-244) [Comments on the Epistle] ...The holy angels look on with amazement at the treatment shown by the Jews to Jesus, and falling down, they adore the holy Face, which they see thus bruised and defiled: let us, also, prostrate and ask pardon, for our sins have outraged that same Face. But let us hearken to the last words of our Epistle: He that hath walked in darkness, and hath no light, let him hope in the name of the Lord and lean upon his God. Who is this but the Gentile, abandoned to sin and idolatry? He knows not what is happening at this very hour in Jerusalem; he knows not that the earth possesses its Savior, and that this Savior is being trampled beneath the feet of His own chosen people; but, in a very short time, the light of the Gospel will shine upon this poor Gentile; he will believe; he will obey; he will love his Redeemer, even to laying down his life for Him. Then will be fulfilled the prophecy of the unworthy pontiff, who prophesied against his will that the death of Jesus would bring salvation to the Gentiles, by gathering into one family the children of God, that hitherto had been dispersed. (1)-{St. John. xi. 52} (page 247) ...Judas Iscariot, dares to protest against this waste (of the perfume Magdalene anoints Jesus with), as he calls it. His base avarice deprives him of feeling and respect for his divine Master. His opinion is shared in by several of the other disciples, for they are still carnal-minded. For several reasons Jesus permits Magdalene's generosity to thus blamed. And firstly, He wishes to announce His approaching death, which is mystically expressed by the pouring of this ointment upon His body. Then, too, He would glorify Magdalene; and He therefore tells those who are present, that her tender and ardent love shall be rewarded, and that her name shall be celebrated in every country, wheresoever the Gospel shall be preached. (4)-{St. Matt. xxvi. 13} And lastly, He would console those whose generous love prompts them to be liberal in their gifts to His altars; for what He here says of Magdalene is, in reality, a defense for them, when they are accused of spending too much over the beauty of God's house. Let us prize each of these divine teachings. Let us love to honor Jesus, both in His own person, and in His poor. Let us honor Magdalene, and imitate her devotion to the Passion and death of our Lord. In fine, let us prepare our perfumes for our divine Master: there must be the myrrh of the Magi, which signifies penance, and the precious spikenard of Magdalene, which is the emblem of generous and compassionating love. (pages 251-252)
Today, again, our Savior sets out in the morning for Jerusalem. His intention is to repair to the temple, and continue His yesterday's teachings. It is evident that His mission on earth is fast drawing to its close. He says to His disciples: 'You know that after two days shall be the Pasch, and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to be crucified.' (1)- {St. Matt. xxvi. 2} On the road from Bethania to Jerusalem, the disciples are surprised at seeing the fig-tree which their divine Master had yesterday cursed, now dead. Addressing himself to Jesus, Peter says: 'Rabbi, behold, the fig-tree, which Thou didst curse, is withered away.'(2) {St. Mark xi. 21} Jesus replies: 'Have the faith of God. Amen I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain: Be thou removed and cast into the sea! and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be done, it shall be done unto him' (1)-{St. Mark xi. 22, 23} (pages 255-256) ...No sooner has He (Jesus) entered the temple, than the chief priests, the scribes, and the ancients of the people, accost Him with these words: 'By what authority dost Thou these things? And who has given Thee this authority, that Thou shouldst do these things?(2)- {Ibid. 28} and who has given Thee this authority, that Thou shouldst do these things?'(2)- {Ibid. 28} We shall find our Lord's answer given in the Gospel... In today's Mass, the Church reads the history of the Passion according to St. Mark, who wrote his Gospel the next after St. Matthew; hence it is that the second place is assigned to him. His account of the Passion is shorter than St. Matthew's, of which it would often seem to be a summary; and yet certain details peculiar to this evangelist were evidently furnished by an eye-witness. Our readers are aware that St. Mark was disciple of St. Peter, and that his Gospel was written under the very eye of the prince of the apostles. (page 256) [Comments for the Epistle] Again we have the plaintive words of Jeremias: he gives us the very words used by his enemies, when they conspired his death. It is evident, however, that the prophet is here the figure of one greater than himself. Let us, say these enemies, put wood upon his bread; that is, let us put poisonous word into what he eats that so we may cause his death. This is the literal sense of these words, as applied to the prophet; but how much more truly were they fulfilled in our Redeemer! He tells us that His divine Flesh is the true Bread that came down from Heaven. This Bread, this Body of the Man-God, is bruised, torn, and wounded; the Jews nail it to the wood; so that, it is, in a manner, made one with the wood, and the wood is all covered with Jesus' Blood. This Lamb of God was immolated on the wood of the cross; it is by His immolation, that we have given to us a Sacrifice which is worthy of God; and it is by this Sacrifice that we participate the Bread of Heaven, the Flesh of the Lamb, our true Pasch.(pages 258-259)
The figurative lamb is now to make way for the true one; the Pasch of this year will substitute the reality for the type; and Jesus' Blood, shed by the hands of wicked priests, is soon to flow simultaneously with that of victims which have been hitherto acceptable to God only because they prefigured the Sacrifice of Calvary. The Jewish priesthood is about to be its own executioner, by immolating Him, whose Blood is to abrogate the ancient Alliance, and perpetuate the new one. (page 274-275) [Comments on Lesson for the Mass] ...The Synagogue will seek to stifle the Church in her infancy; but no sooner shall the Church, shaking the dust from her feet, turn from Jerusalem to the Gentiles than the vengeance of Christ will fall on the city which bought, betrayed, and crucified Him. Her citizens will have to pay dearly for these crimes. We learn from the Jewish historian Josephus, who was an eye-witness to the siege, that the fire which was raging in one of the streets was quenched by the torrents of their blood. Thus was fulfilled the threats pronounced by our Lord against this faithless city, as He sat on Mount Olivet, the day after His triumphant entry. And yet, the destruction of Jerusalem was but a faint image of the terrible destruction which is to befall the world at the last day. Jesus, who is now despised and insulted by sinners, will then appear on the clouds of Heaven, and reparation will be made for these outrages. Now He suffers Himself to be betrayed, scoffed at, and spit upon; but when the day of vengeance is come, happy they that have served Him, and have compassionated with Him in His humiliations and sufferings! Woe to them that have treated Him with contempt! Woe to those who, not content with refusing to bear His yoke, have led others to rebel against Him! For He is King; He came into this world that He might reign over it; and they that despise His mercy shall not escape His justice. (pages 281-282) [Comment on the Epistle for Wednesday's Mass] And we, after hearing both the old and new Testament upon the sufferings which Jesus went through for our sins, how shall we sufficiently love this dear Redeemer, who bore our infirmities and carried our sorrows, so as to look as a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted? We are healed by His bruises! O heavenly Physician, Who takes upon Himself the sufferings of those He comes to cure! ... ...Let us love and adore this divine silence, which works our salvation. Let us not pass over an iota of the devotedness which Jesus shows us-a devotedness which never could have existed save in the heart of a God. Oh! how much He has loved us, His children, the purchase of His Blood, His seed, as the prophet here calls us. O holy Church! Thou long-lived seed of Jesus, who laid down His life, thou art dear to Him, for He bought thee at a great price. Faithful souls! Give Him love for love. Sinners! Be converted to this your Savior; His Blood will restore you to life, for if we have all gone astray like sheep, remember what is added. The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. There is no sinner, however great may be his crimes, there is no heretic, or infidel, who has not his share in this precious Blood, whose infinite merit is such, that it could redeem a million worlds more guilty even than our own. (pages 282-283)
The the priest, standing on the epistle side, his hands joined but without turning towards the faithful, sings:
Oremus. Let us pray.
In illo tempore, dixit Jesus discipulis Suis: Scitis quia post bidium Pascha fiet, et Filius hominis tradetur, ut crucifigatur. Tunc congregati sunt principes sacerdotum et seniores populi in atrium principia saccerdotum, qui dicebatur Caiphas: et consilium fecerunt, ut Jesum dolo tenerent, et occiderent. Dicebant autem: Non in die festo, ne forte tumultus fieret in populo. Cum autem Jesus esset in Bethania, in domo Simonis leprosi, accessit ad eum mulier habens alabastrum unguenti pretiosi: et effudit super caput ipsius recumbentis. Videntes autem discipuli, indignati sunt, dicentes: Ut quid perditio haec? Potuit enim istud venundari multo et dar pauperibus. Sciens autem Jesus, ait illis: Quid molesti estis huic mulieri? Opus enim bonum operata est in Me. Nam semper pauperes habetis vobiscum: Me autem non semper habietis. Mittens enim haec unguentem hoc in corpus Meum, ad sepeliendum Me fecit. Amen dico vobis, ubicumque praedicatum fuerit hoc Evangelium in toto mundo, dicetur et quod haec fecit in memoriam ejus. Tunc abiit unus de duodecim, qui dicebatur Judas Iscariotes, ad principes sacerdotum; et ait illis: Quid vultis mihi dare, et ego vobis Eum tradam? At illi constituerunt ei triginta argenteos. Et exinde quaerebat opportunitatem, ut Eum traderet. Prima autem die Azymorum accesserunt discipuli ad Jesum dicentes: Ubi vis paremus Tibi comedere Pascha? At Jesus dixit: Ite in civitatem ad quemdam, et dicite ei: Magister dicit: Tempus Meum prope est; apud te facio Pascha cum discipulis Meis. Et feerun discipuli sicut constituit illis Jesus: et paraverunt Pascha. Vespere autem facto, discumbebat cum duodecim discipulis Suis. Et edentibus illis, dixit: Amen dico vobis: quia unus vestrum Me traditurus est. Et constristati valde, coeperunt singuli dicere: Numquid ego sum, Domine? At ipse respondens, ait: Qui intingit Mecum manum in paropside, hic Me tradet. Filius quidem hominis vadit, sicut scriptum est de illo. Vae autem homini illi, per quem Filius hominis tradetur! Bonum erat ei, si natus non fuisset homo ille. Respondens autem Judas qui tradidit eum dixit: Numquid ego sum, Rabbi? Ait illi: Tu dixisti. Coenantibus autem eis, accepit Jesus panem: et benedixit, ac fregit, deditque discipulis Suis, et ait: Accipite, et comedite: Hoc est corpus Meum. Et accipiens calicem, gratias egit: et dedi illis dicens: Bibite ex hoc omnes. Hic est enim sanguis Meus novi testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Dico autem vobis: Non bibam amodo de hoc genimine vitis usque in diem illum, cum illud bibam vobiscum novum in regno Patris Mei. Et hymno dicto, exierunt in montem Oliveti. Tunc dicit illis Jesus: Omnes vos scandalum patiemini in Me, in ista nocte. Scriptum est enim: Percutiam pastorem, et dispergentur oves gregis: postquam autem resurrexero, praecedam vos in Galilaeam. Respondens autem Petrus, ait Illi: Etsi omnes scandalizati fuerint in Te, ego nunquam scandalizabor. Ait illi Jesus: Amen dico tibi quia in hac nocte, antequam gallus cantet, ter Me negabis. Ait illi Petrus: Etiam si oportuerit me mori Tecum, non Te negabo. Similiter et omnes dixerunt.
Tunc venit Jesus cum discípulis suis in villam, quæ dícitur Gethsémani, et dixit discípulis suis: Sedéte hic donec vadam illuc, et orem. Et assúmpto Petro, et duóbus fíliis Zebedæi, cæpit contristári et mæstus esse. Tunc ait illis: Tristis est ánima mea usque ad mortem: sustinéte hic, et vigiláte mecum. Et progréssus pusíllum, prócidit in fáciem suam, orans, et dicens: Pater mi, si possíbile est, tránseat a me calix iste: verúmtamen non sicut ego volo, sed sicut tu. Et venit ad discípulos suos, et invénit eos dormiéntes, et dicit Petro: Sic non potuístis una hora vigiláre mecum? Vigiláte, et oráte ut non intrétis in tentatiónem. Spíritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infírma. Iterum secúndo ábiit, et orávit, dicens: Pater mi, si non potest hic calix transíre nisi bibam illum, fiat volúntas tua. Et venit íterum, et invénit eos dormiéntes: erant enim óculi eórum graváti. Et relíctis illis, íterum ábiit, et orávit tértio, eúndem sermónem dicens. Tunc venit ad discípulos suos, et dicit illis: Dormíte jam, et requiéscite: ecce appropinquávit hora, et Fílius hóminis tradétur in manus peccatórum. Súrgite, eámus: ecce appropinquávit qui me tradet. Adhuc eo loquénte, ecce Judas unus de duódecim venit, et cum eo turba multa cum gládiis et fústibus, missi a princípibus sacerdótum, et senióribus pópuli. Qui autem trádidit eum, dedit illis signum, dicens: Quemcúmque osculátus fúero, ipse est, tenéte eum. Et conféstim accédens ad Jesum, dixit: Ave Rabbi. Et osculátus est eum. Dixítque illi Jesus: Amíce, ad quid venísti? Tunc accessérunt, et manus injecérunt in Jesum, et tenuérunt eum. Et ecce unus ex his qui erant cum Jesu, exténdens manum, exémit gládium suum, et percútiens servum príncipis sacerdótum amputávit aurículam ejus. Tunc ait illi Jesus: Convérte gládium tuum in locum suum: omnes enim, qui accepérint gládium, gládio períbunt. An putas, quia non possum rogáre Patrem meum, et exhibébit mihi modo plus quam duódecim legiónes Angelórum? Quómodo ergo implebúntur Scriptúræ, quia sic opórtet fíeri?
In illa hora dixit Jesus turbis: Tamquam ad latrónem exístis cum gládiis et fústibus comprehéndere me: quotídie apud vos sedébam docens in templo, et non me tenuístis. Hoc autem totum factum est, ut adimpleréntur Scriptúræ prophetárum. Tunc discípuli omnes, relícto eo, fugérunt.
At illi tenéntes Jesum, duxérunt ad Cáipham príncipem sacerdótum, ubi scribæ et senióres convénerant. Petrus autem sequebátur eum a longe, usque in átrium príncipis sacerdótum. Et ingréssus intro, sedébat cum minístris, ut vidéret finem. Príncipes autem sacerdótum, et omne concílium, quærébant falsum testimónium contra Jesum, ut eum morti tráderent: et non invenérunt, cum multi falsi testes accessíssent. Novíssime autem venérunt duo falsi testes, et dixérunt: Hic dixit: Possum destrúere templum Dei, et post tríduum reædificáre illud. Et surgens princeps sacerdótum, ait illi: Nihil respóndes ad ea, quæ isti advérsum te testificántur? Jesus autem tacébat. Et princeps sacerdótum ait illi: Adjúro te per Deum vivum, ut dicas nobis si tu es Christus Fílius Dei. Dicit illi Jesus: Tu dixísti. Verúmtamen dico vobis, ámodo vidébitis Fílium hóminis sedéntem a dextris virtútis Dei, et veniéntem in núbibus cæli. Tunc princeps sacerdótum scidit vestiménta sua, dicens: Blasphemávit: quid adhuc egémus téstibus? Ecce nunc audístis blasphémiam: quid vobis vidétur? At illi respondéntes dixérunt: Reus est mortis.
Tunc expuérunt in fáciem ejus, et cólaphis eum cecidérunt, álii autem palmas in fáciem ejus dedérunt, dicéntes: Prophetíza nobis, Christe, quis est qui te percússit? Petrus vero sedébat foris in átrio: et accéssit ad eum una ancílla, dicens: Et tu cum Jesu Galilæo eras. At ille negávit coram ómnibus, dicens: Néscio quid dicis. Exeúnte autem illo jánuam, vidit eum ália ancílla, et ait his, qui erant ibi: Et hic erat cum Jesu Nazaréno. Et íterum negávit cum juraménto: Quia non novi hóminem. Et post pusíllum accessérunt qui stabant, et dixérunt Petro: Vere et tu ex illis es: nam et loquéla tua maniféstum te facit. Tunc cæpit detestári et juráre quia non novísset hóminem. Et contínuo gallus cantávit. Et recordátus est Petrus verbi Jesu, quod díxerat: Priúsquam gallus cantet, ter me negábis. Et egréssus foras, flevit amáre.
Mane autem facto, consílium iniérunt omnes príncipes sacerdótum et senióres pópuli advérsus Jesum, ut eum morti tráderent. Et vinctum adduxérunt eum, et tradidérunt Póntio Piláto præsidi. Tunc videns Judas, qui eum trádidit, quod damnátus esset, pæniténtia ductus, rétulit trigínta argénteos princípibus sacerdótum, et senióribus, dicens: Peccávi, tradens sánguinem justum. At illi dixérunt: Quid ad nos? Tu víderis. Et projéctis argénteis in templo, recéssit: et ábiens, láqueo, se suspéndit. Príncipes autem sacerdótum, accéptis argénteis, dixérunt: Non licet eos míttere in córbonam: quia prétium sánguinis est. Consílio autem ínito, emérunt ex illis agrum fíguli, in sepultúram, peregrinórum. Propter hoc vocátus est ager ille, Hacéldama, hoc est, ager sánguinis, usque in hodiérnum diem. Tunc implétum est quod dictum est per Jeremíam prophétam, dicéntem: Et accepérunt trigínta argénteos prétium appretiáti, quem appretiavérunt a fíliis Israel: et dedérunt eos in agrum fíguli, sicut constítuit mihi Dóminus.
Jesus autem stetit ante præsidem, et interrogávit eum præses, dicens: Tu es Rex Judæórum? Dicit illi Jesus: Tu dicis. Et cum accusarétur a princípibus sacerdótum et senióribus, nihil respóndit. Tunc dicit illi Pilátus: Non audis quanta advérsum te dicunt testimónia? Et non respóndit ei ad ullum verbum, ita ut mirarétur præses veheménter. Per diem autem solémnem consuéverat præses pópulo dimíttere unum vinctum, quem voluíssent: habébat autem tunc vinctum insígnem, qui dicebátur Barábbas. Congregátis ergo illis, dixit Pilátus: Quem vultis dimíttam vobis: Barábbam, an Jesum, qui dícitur Christus? Sciébat enim quod per invídiam tradidíssent eum. Sedénte autem illo pro tribunáli, misit ad eum uxor eius, dicens: Nihil tibi, et justo illi: multa enim passa sunt hódie per visum propter eum. Príncipes autem sacerdótum et senióres persuasérunt pópulis ut péterent Barábbam, Jesum vero pérderent. Respóndens autem præses, ait illis: Quem vultis vobis de duóbus dimítti? At illi dixérunt: Barábbam. Dicit illis Pilátus: Quid ígitur fáciam de Jesu, qui dícitur Christus? Dicunt omnes: Crucifigátur. Ait illis Præses: Quid enim mali fecit? At illi Magis clamábant dicéntes: Crucifigátur. Videns autem Pilátus quia nihil profíceret, sed magis tumúltus fíeret: accépta aqua, lavit manus coram pópulo, dicens: Innocens ego sum a sánguine justi hujus: vos vidéritis. Et respóndens univérsus pópulus, dixit: Sanguis ejus super nos, et super fílios nostros. Tunc dimísit illis Barábbam: Jesum autem flagellátum trádidit eis ut crucifigerétur.
Tunc mílites præsidis suscipiéntes Jesum in prætórium, congregavérunt ad eum univérsam cohórtem, et exuéntes eum, chlámydem coccíneam circumdedérunt ei, et plecténtes corónam de spinis, posuérunt super caput eius, et arúndinem in déxtera eius. Et genu flexo ante eum, illudébant ei, dicéntes: Ave Rex Judæórum. Et expuéntes in eum, accepérunt arúndinem, et percutiébant caput ejus. Et postquam illusérunt ei, exuérunt eum chlámyde, et induérunt eum vestiméntis ejus, et duxérunt eum ut crucifígerent.
Exeúntes autem invenérunt hóminem Cyrenæum, nómine Simónem: hunc angariavérunt ut tólleret crucem ejus. Et venérunt in locum qui dícitur Gólgotha, quod est Calváriæ locus. Et dedérunt ei vinum bíbere cum felle mixtum. Et cum gustásset, nóluit bíbere. Postquam autem crucifixérunt eum, divisérunt vestiménta eius, sortem mitténtes: ut implerétur quod dictum est per prophétam dicéntem: Divisérunt sibi vestiménta mea, et super vestem meam misérunt sortem. Et sedéntes, servábant eum. Et imposuérunt super caput eius causam ipsíus scriptam: Hic est Jesus Rex Judæórum.
Tunc crucifíxi sunt cum eo duo latrónes: unus a dextris, et unus a sinístris. Prætereúntes autem blasphemábant eum movéntes cápita sua, et dicéntes: Vah qui déstruis templum Dei, et in tríduo illud reædíficas: salva temetípsum: si Fílius Dei es, descénde de cruce. Simíliter et príncipes sacerdótum illudéntes cum scribis et senióribus dicébant: Alios salvos fecit, seípsum non potest salvunt facere: si Rex Israel est, descéndat nunc de cruce, et crédimus ei: confídit in Deo: líberet nunc, si vult eum: dixit enim: Quia Fílius Dei sum. Idípsum autem et latrónes, qui crucifíxi erant eum co, improperábant ei.
A sexta autem hora ténebræ factæ sunt super univérsam terram usque ad horam nonam. Et circa horam nonam clamávit Jesus voce magna, dicens: Eli, Eli, lamma sabactháni? Hoc est: Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid dereliquísti me? Quidam autem illic stantes, et audiéntes, dicébant: Elíam vocat iste. Et contínuo, currens unus ex eis, accéptam spóngiam implévit acéto, et impósuit arúndini, et dabat ei bíbere. Cæteri vero dicébant: Sine, videámus an véniat Elías líberans eum Jesus autem íterum clamans voce, magna, emísit spíritum.
[Here all kneel and pause for a few moments]
Et ecce velum templi scissum est in duas partes a summo, usque deórsum: et terra mota est, et petræ scissæ sunt, et monuménta apérta sunt: et multa córpora sanctórum, qui dormíerant, surrexérunt. Et exeúntes de monuméntis post resurrectiónem ejus, venérunt in sanctam civitátem, et apparuérunt multis. Centúrio autem, et qui cum eo erant, custodiéntes Jesum, viso terræmótu, et his, quæ fiébant, timuérunt valde, dicéntes: Vere Fílius Dei erat iste. Erant autem ibi mulíeres multæ a longe, quæ secútæ erant Jesum a Galilæa, ministrántes ei: inter quas erat María Magdaléne, et María Jacóbi, et Joseph mater, et mater filiórum Zebedæi. Cum autem sero factum esset, venit quidam homo dives ab Arimathæa, nómine Joseph, qui et ipse discípulus erat Jesu: hic accéssit ad Pilátum, et pédit corpus Jesu. Tunc Pilátus jussit reddi corpus. Et accépto córpore, Joseph invólvit illud in síndone munda. Et pósuit illud in monuménto suo novo, quod excíderat in petra. Et advólvit saxum magnum ad óstium monuménti, et ábiit.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended all these words, He said to His disciples: You know that after two days shall be the Pasch, and the Son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified: Then were gathered together the chief priests and ancients of the people into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas: And they consulted together, that by subtlty they might apprehend Jesus, and put Him to death. But they said: Not on the festival day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people. And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to Him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on His head as He was at table. And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? For this might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon Me.
For the poor you have always with you: but Me you have not always. For she in pouring this ointment upon My body, hath done it for My burial. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memory of her. Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.
And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray Him. And on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the pasch? But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: the master saith, My time is near at hand, with thee I make the pasch with My disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the pasch. But when it was evening, He sat down with his twelve disciples. And whilst they were eating, He said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray Me. And they being very much troubled, began every one to say: Is it I, Lord? But He answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, he shall betray Me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born. And Judas that betrayed Him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it.
And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to His disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is My body. And taking the chalice, He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is My blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of My Father. And a hymn being said, they went out unto mount Olivet.
Then Jesus said to them: All you shall be scandalized in Me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to Him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter saith to Him: Yea, though I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee. And in like manner said all the disciples.
Then Jesus came with His disciples to a country place called Gethsemani, and He said to His disciples, "Sit down here, while I go over yonder and pray." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be saddened and exceedingly troubled. Then He said to them, "My soul is sad, even unto death. Wait here and watch with Me." And going forward a little, He fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou willest." Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, "Could you not then watch one hour with Me? Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done." And He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them He went back again, and prayed a third time, saying the same words over. Then He came to His disciples, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go. Behold, he who betrays Me is at hand."
And while He was yet speaking, behold Judas, one of the Twelve, came and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, that is He; lay hold of Him." And he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, "Friend, for what purpose hast thou come?" Then they came forward and set hands on Jesus and took Him. And behold, one of those who was with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew his sword, and striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Put back thy sword into its place; for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or dost thou suppose that I cannot entreat My Father, and He will even now furnish Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then are the Scriptures to be fulfilled, that thus it must happen?"
In that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "As against a robber you have come out, with swords and clubs to seize Me. I sat daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on Me." Now all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left Him and fled.
Now those who had taken Jesus led Him away to Caiphas the high priest, where the Scribes and the elders had gathered together. But Peter was following Him at a distance, even to the courtyard of the high priest, and he went in and sat with the attendants to see the end. Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were seeking false witness against Jesus, that they might put Him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. But last of all there came forward two false witnesses, and they said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it after three days.'" Then the high priest, standing up, said to Him, "Dost Thou make no answer to the things that these men prefer against Thee?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure Thee by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou art the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "Thou hast said it. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power of God and coming upon the clouds of Heaven." Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, "He has blasphemed; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" And they answered and said, "He is liable to death."
Then they spat in His face and buffeted Him; while others struck His face with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, O Christ! who is it that struck Thee?" Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard; and a maidservant came up to him and said, "Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied before them all, saying, "I do not know what thou art saying." And when he had gone out to the gateway, another maid saw him, and said to those who were there, "This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" And after a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely thou also art one of them, for even thy speech betrays thee." Then he began to curse and to swear that he did not know the Man. And at that moment the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said, "Before the cock crows, thou wilt deny Me thrice." And he went out and wept bitterly.
Now when morning came all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel together against Jesus in order to put Him to death. And they bound Him and led Him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the procurator. Then Judas, who betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to it thyself." And he flung the pieces of silver into the temple, and withdrew; and went away and hanged himself with a halter. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, seeing that it is the price of blood." And after they had consulted together, they bought with them the potter's field, as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called even to this day, Haceldama, that is, the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremias the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him Who was prized, upon whom the children of Israel set a price; and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me."
Now Jesus stood before the procurator; and the procurator asked Him, saying, "Art Thou the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him "Thou sayest it." And when He was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He made no answer. Then Pilate said to Him, "Dost Thou not hear how many things they prefer against Thee?"
But He did not answer him a single word, so that the procurator wondered exceedingly. Now at festival time the procurator used to release to the crowd a prisoner, whomever they would. Now he had at that time a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said, "Whom do you wish that I release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus Who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had delivered Him up out of envy. Now, as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that Just Man, for I have suffered many things in a dream today because of Him." But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus. But the procurator addressed them, and said to them, "Which of the two do you wish that I release to you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "What then am I to do with Jesus Who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" The procurator said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they kept crying out the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!" Now Pilate, seeing that he was doing no good, but rather that a riot was breaking out, took water and washed his hands in sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this Just Man; see to it yourselves." And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children." Then he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to them to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the procurator took Jesus into the praetorium, and gathered together about Him the whole cohort. And they stripped Him and put on Him a scarlet cloak; and plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed into His right hand; and bending the knee before Him they mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat on Him, and took the reed and kept striking Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the cloak off Him and put on Him His own garments, and led Him away to crucify Him.
Now as they went out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon; him they forced to take up His cross. And they came to the place called Golgotha, that is, the Place of the Skull. And they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; but when He had tasted it, He would not drink. And after they had crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots, to fulfill that which was spoken through the prophets, saying, "They divided My garments among them, and upon My vesture they cast lots." And sitting down they kept watch over Him. And they put above His head the charge against Him, written This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right hand and one on His left. Now the passers-by were jeering at Him, shaking their heads, and saying, "Thou Who destroyest the temple, and in three days buildest it up again, save Thyself! If Thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross!" In like manner, the chief priests with the Scribes and the elders, mocking, said, "He saved others, Himself He cannot save! If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He wants Him; for He said, "I am the Son of God."' And the robbers also, who were crucified with Him, reproached Him in the same way.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. But about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani." That is, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"' And some of the bystanders on hearing this said, "This man is calling Elias." And immediately one of them ran and, taking a sponge, soaked it in common wine, put it on a reed and offered it to Him to drink. But the rest said, "Wait, let us see whether Elias is coming to save Him." But Jesus again cried out with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit.
[Here all kneel, and pause a little while.]
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent, and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose; and coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, they came into the holy city, and appeared to many. Now when the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were very much afraid, and they said, "Truly He was the Son of God."
And many women were there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Now when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, Joseph by name, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be given up. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock. Then he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb, and departed.
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