Day of fast (ages 18-59)and abstinence from meat (age 14 and up). 

Mass is not celebrated today.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  Isaiah 52:13－53:12

 

Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25

Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊ Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 18:1－19:42*

(……)Bearing his cross,

Jesus went out of the city to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There he was crucified, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus In the middle.

Pilate had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read: Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews. (……) The chief priests said to Pilate, “Do not write ’The King of the Jews’; but, ‘This man claimed to be King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered them, “What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each of them. But as the tunic was woven in one piece from top to bottom, they said, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots to decide who will get it.”

This fulfilled the words of Scripture: They divided my clothing among them; they cast lots for my garment. This was what the soldiers did. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister Mary, who was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of whom he loved, he said to the mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “This is your mother.”

And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home. Jesus knew all was now finished and, in order to fulfill what was written in Scripture, he said, “I am thirsty.”

A jar full of bitter wine stood there; so putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a twig of hyssop, they raised it to his lips. Jesus took the wine and said, “It is accomplished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up the spirit.(….)

 

Gospel Reflection：

The Passion and death of the Lord according to John packs a lot of details that are good for spiritual meditation. But what is striking is the preparations Jesus made before that. First, he ate supper with his disciples.

It was supposed to be a solemn occasion that recalls the liberation of Israel from bondage. They heard the scriptures that recounted the mighty deeds of God and eat the Passover meal. For Jesus it was a bittersweet occasion. Sweet because he spends it with His own, those are closest to him.

Bitter because He is anticipating the sacrifice He will make in order to be food that gives life to the world. Secondly, He spent the rest of the night in prayer. The prayer must have been intense because He perspired blood in the process. Two moments of preparation, the meal and prayer.

The former is communion with His disciples and friends, the latter is communion with God. These two preparations enable him to face the succeeding events with calm courage.