Easter Sunday

April 24
Sunday

►1st Reading: Acts 10:34, 37–43
Peter spoke to the people, “Truly, I realize that God does not show partiality. No doubt you have heard of the event that occurred throughout the whole country of the Jews, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism John preached. You know how God anointed Jesus the Nazarean with Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all who were under the devil’s power, because God was with him; we are witnesses of all that he did throughout the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem itself. Yet they put him to death by hanging him on a wooden cross.
“But God raised him to life on the third day and let him manifest himself, not to all the people, but to the witnesses that were chosen beforehand by God—to us who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from death. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. All the prophets say of him, that everyone who believes in him has forgiveness of sins through his Name.”

►Ps 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

►2nd Reading: Col 3:1–4 (or Cor 5:6b–8)
Sisters and brothers, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, reveals himself, you also will be revealed with him in Glory.

►Gospel: Jn 20:1–9
On the first day after the sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. And she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have laid him.”
Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter.
Then Simon Peter came following him and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head was not lying flat like the other linen cloths but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly said that he must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.

Holy Saturday (Vigil of the Solemnity of Easter)

April 23
Saturday

►1st Reading: Gen 1:1—2:2
In the beginning, when God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth had no form and was void; darkness was over the deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.
God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘Day’ and the darkness ‘Night’. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.
God said, “Let there be a firm ceiling between the waters and let it separate waters from waters.” So God made the ceiling and separated the waters below it from the waters above it. And so it was. God called the firm ceiling ‘Sky’. There was evening and there was morning: the second day.
God said, “Let the waters below the sky be gathered together in one place and let dry land appear.” And so it was. God called the dry land ‘Earth’, and the waters gathered together he called ‘Seas’. God saw that it was good.
God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants, fruit-trees bearing fruit with seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And so it was. The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kind and trees producing fruit which has seed, according to their kind. God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning: the third day.
God said, “Let there be lights in the ceiling of the sky to separate day from night and to serve as signs for the seasons, days and years; and let these lights in the sky shine above the earth.” And so it was. God therefore made two great lights, the greater light to govern the day and the smaller light to govern the night; and God made the stars as well. God placed them in the ceiling of the sky to give light on the earth and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning: the fourth day.
God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth under the ceiling of the sky.” God created the great monsters of the sea and all living animals, those that teem in the waters, according to their kind, and every winged bird, according to its kind. God saw that it was good. God blessed them saying, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds increase on the earth.” There was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
God said, “Let the earth produce living animals according to their kind: cattle, creatures that move along the ground, wild animals according to their kind.” So it was. God created the wild animals according to their kind, and everything that creeps along the ground according to its kind. God saw that it was good.
God said, “Let us make man in our image, to our likeness. Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over the wild animals, and over all creeping things that crawl along the ground.” So God created man in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
God said, “I have given you every seed-bearing plant which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with seed. It will be for your food. To every wild animal, to every bird of the sky, to everything that creeps along the ground, to everything that has the breath of life, I give every green plant for food.” So it was.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.
That was the way the sky and earth were created and all their vast array. By the seventh day the work God had done was completed, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had done.


►2nd Reading: Gen 22:1–18
►3rd Reading: Ex 14:15–15:1
►4th Reading: Is 54:5–14
►5th Reading: Is 55:1–11
►6th Reading: Bar 3:9–15, 32–4:4
►7th Reading: Ezk 36:16–17a, 18–26

►Ps 104:1–2, 5–6, 10, 12, 13–14, 24, 35
Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
►Ps 33:4–5, 6–7, 12–13, 20–22
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
►Ps 16:5, 8, 9–10, 11
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
►Ex 15:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 17–18
Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
►Ps 30:2, 4, 5–6, 11–12, 13
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
►Is 12:2–3, 4, 5–6
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
►Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Lord, you have the works of everlasting life.
►Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4
Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
►Ps 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.


►2nd Reading: Rom 6:3–11
Don’t you know that in baptism which unites us to Christ we are all baptized and plunged into his death? By this baptism in his death, we were buried with Christ and, as Christ was raised from among the dead by the Glory of the Father, so we begin walking in a new life. If we have been joined to him by dying a death like his so we shall be by a resurrection like his.
We know that our old self was crucified with Christ, so as to destroy what of us was sin, so that we may no longer serve sin—if we are dead, we are no longer in debt to sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know that Christ, once risen from the dead, will not die again and death has no more dominion over him. For by dying, he is dead to sin once and for all, and now the life that he lives is life with God.
So you, too, must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

►Gospel: Matthew 28:1–10*
After the sabbath, at the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake: an angel of the Lord descending from heaven, came to the stone, rolled it from the entrance of the tomb, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his garment white as snow. The guards trembled in fear and became like dead men when they saw the angel.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him; then go at once and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. This is my message for you.”
They left the tomb at once in holy fear, yet with great joy, and they ran to tell the news to the disciples.
Suddenly, Jesus met them on the way and said, “Peace.” The women approached him, embraced his feet and worshiped him. But Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see me.”

Good Friday

April 22
Friday

►1st Reading: Is 52:13—53:12
It is now when my servant will succeed;
he will be exalted and highly praised.
Just as many have been horrified
at his disfigured appearance:
“Is this a man? He does not look like one,”
so will nations be astounded,
kings will stand speechless,
for they will see something never told,
they will witness something never heard of.

Who could believe what we have heard,
and to whom has Yahweh revealed his feat?
Like a root out of dry ground,
like a sapling he grew up before us,
with nothing attractive in his appearance,
no beauty, no majesty.

He was despised and rejected,
a man of sorrows familiar with grief,
a man from whom people hide their face,
spurned and considered of no account.
Yet ours were the sorrows he bore,
ours were the sufferings he endured,
although we considered him as one
punished by God, stricken and brought low.

Destroyed because of our sins,
he was crushed for our wickedness.
Through his punishment we are made whole;
by his wounds we are healed.
Like sheep we had all gone astray,
each following his own way;
but Yahweh laid upon him all our guilt.

He was harshly treated,
but unresisting and silent, he humbly submitted.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
or a sheep before the shearer
he did not open his mouth.

He was taken away to detention and judgment –
what an unthinkable fate!
He was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for his people’s sin.
They made his tomb with the wicked,
they put him in the graveyard of the oppressors,
though he had done no violence nor spoken in deceit.

Yet it was the will of Yahweh to crush him with grief.
When he makes himself an offering for sin,
he will have a long life and see his descendants.
Through him the will of Yahweh is done.
For the anguish he suffered,
he will see the light and obtain perfect knowledge.
My just servant will justify the multitude;
he will bear and take away their guilt.

Therefore I will give him his portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong.
For he surrendered himself to death
and was even counted among the wicked,
bearing the sins of the multitude
and interceding for sinners.

►Ps 31:2, 6, 12–13, 15–16, 17, 25
Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.

►2nd Reading: Heb 4:14–16; 5:7–9
We have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God, who has entered heaven. Let us, then, hold fast to the faith we profess. Our high priest is not indifferent to our weaknesses, for he was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sinning. Let us, then, with confidence approach the throne of grace; we will obtain mercy and, through his favor, help in due time.
Christ, in the days of his mortal life, offered his sacrifice with tears and cries. He prayed to him who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his humble submission. Although he was Son, he learned through suffering what obedience was, and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for those who obey him.

►Gospel: John 18:1—19:42*
When Jesus had finished speaking, he went with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron Valley. There was a garden there where Jesus entered with his disciples.
Now Judas, who betrayed him knew the place since Jesus had often met there with his disciples. He led soldiers of the Roman battalion and guards from the chief priests and Pharisees, who went there with lanterns, torches and weapons.
Jesus knew all that was going to happen to him; he stepped forward and asked, “Who are you looking for?” They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus said, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, stood there with them.
When Jesus said, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground. He then asked a second time, “Who are you looking for?” and they answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these others go.” So what Jesus had said came true: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

Holy Thursday! (Holy Week)

April 21
Thursday

►1st Reading: Ex 12:1–8, 11–14
Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt and said, “This month is to be the beginning of all months, the first month of your year. Speak to the community of Israel and say to them:
On the tenth day of this month let each family take a lamb, a lamb for each house. If the family is too small for a lamb, they must join with a neighbor, the nearest to the house, according to the number of persons and to what each one can eat.
You will select a perfect lamb without blemish, a male born during the present year, taken from the sheep or goats. Then you will keep it until the fourteenth day of the month.
On that evening all the people will slaughter their lambs and take some of the blood to put on the doorposts and on top of the doorframes of the houses where you eat.
That night you will eat the flesh roasted at the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
And this is how you will eat: with a belt round your waist, sandals on your feet and a staff in your hand. You shall eat hastily for it is a passover in honor of Yahweh. On that night I shall go through Egypt and strike every firstborn in Egypt, men and animals; and I will even bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt, I, Yahweh! The blood on your houses will be the sign that you are there. I will see the blood and pass over you; and you will es-cape the mortal plague when I strike Egypt.
This is a day you are to remember and celebrate in honor of Yah-weh. It is to be kept as a festival day for all generations forever.

►Ps 116:12–13, 15–16bc, 17–18
Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.

►2nd Reading: 1 Cor 11:23–26
Brothers and sisters: This is the tradition of the Lord that I received and that in my turn I have handed on to you; the Lord Jesus, on the night that he was delivered up, took bread and, after giving thanks, broke it, saying, “This is my body which is broken for you; do this in memory of me.” In the same manner, taking the cup after the supper, he said, “This cup is the new Covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do it in memory of me.” So, then, whenever you eat of this bread and drink from this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord until he comes.

►Gospel: Jn 13:1–15
It was before the feast of the Passover. Jesus realized that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, and as he had loved those who were his own in the world, he would love them with perfect love.
They were at supper and the devil had already put into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray. Jesus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he was going to God. So he got up from table, removed his garment and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.
When he came to Simon Peter, Simon said to him, “Why, Lord, you want to wash my feet!” Jesus said, “What I am doing you cannot understand now, but afterwards you will understand it.” Peter replied, “You shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me.” Then Simon Peter said, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus replied, “Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over. You are clean, though not all of you.” Jesus knew who was to betray him; because of this he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the table and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another’s feet. I have just given you an example that as I have done, you also may do.”

Passion (Palm) Sunday

April 17
Sunday

►1st Reading: Is 50:4–7
The Lord Yahweh has taught me so I speak as his disciple and I know how to sustain the weary. Morning after morning he wakes me up to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear. I have not rebelled, nor have I withdrawn. I offered my back to those who strike me, my cheeks to those who pulled my beard; neither did I shield my face from blows, spittle and disgrace. I have not despaired, for the Lord Yahweh comes to my help. So, like a flint I set my face, knowing that I will not be disgraced.

►Ps 22:8–9, 17–18, 19–20, 23–24
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

►2nd Reading: Phil 2:6–11
Though being divine in nature, Christ Jesus did not claim in fact equality with God, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man. He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross. That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names, so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead, and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.

►Gospel: Mt 26:14—27:66 (or Mt 27:11–54)
Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “How much will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They promised to give him thirty pieces of silver, and from then on, he kept looking for the best way to hand Jesus over to them.
Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “How much will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They promised to give him thirty pieces of silver, and from then on, he kept looking for the best way to hand Jesus over to them.
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” Jesus answered, “Go into the city, to the house of a certain man, and tell him, ‘The Master says: My hour is near, and I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples in your house.’”
The disciples did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover meal.
When it was evening, Jesus sat at table with the Twelve. While they were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you: one of you will betray me.” They were deeply distressed, and they asked him, one after the other, “You do not mean me, do you, Lord?”
He answered, “He who will betray me is one of those who dips his bread in the dish with me. The Son of Man is going as the Scriptures say he will. But alas for that one who betrays the Son of Man: better for him not to have been born.” Judas, who was betraying him, also asked, “You do not mean me, Master, do you?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said a blessing and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take and eat: this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and gave thanks, and passed it to them, saying, “Drink this, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Yes, I say to you: From now on I will not taste the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
After singing psalms of praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will falter tonight because of me, and all will fall. For the Scripture says: I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after my resurrection, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
Peter responded, “Even though all doubt you and fall, I will never fall.” Jesus replied, “Truly I say to you: this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said, “Though I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same.
Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.”
He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to be filled with anguish and distress. And he said to them, “My soul is full of sorrow, even to death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”
He went a little farther and fell to the ground, with his face touching the earth, and prayed, “Father, if it is possible, take this cup away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.” He went back to his disciples and found them asleep, and he said to Peter, “Could you not stay awake with me for even an hour? Stay awake and pray, so that you may not slip into temptation. The spirit indeed is eager, but the body is weak.”
He again went away, and prayed, “Father, if this cup cannot be taken away from me without my drinking it, let your will be done.” When he came back to his disciples, he again found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them again, and went to pray the third time, saying the same words.
Then he came back to his disciples and said to them, “You can sleep on now and take your rest! The hour has come, and the Son of Man will be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look: the betrayer is here!”
Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, who had been sent by the chief priests and the Jewish authorities. The traitor had arranged a signal for them: “The one I kiss, he is the man; arrest him.” Judas went directly to Jesus and said, “Good evening, Master”; and he gave him a kiss. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then they laid hands on Jesus, and arrested him.
One of those who were with Jesus drew his sword, and struck at the servant of the High Priest, cutting off his ear. So Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for he who uses the sword will perish by the sword. Do you not know that I could call on my Father, and he would at once send me more than twelve legions of angels. If Scripture says that this has to be, should it not be fulfilled?”
At that moment, Jesus said to the crowd, “Why do you come to arrest me with swords and clubs, as if I were a robber? Day after day I was seated among you teaching in the Temple, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come about in fulfillment of what the Prophets said.” Then all his disciples deserted him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus brought him to the house of the High Priest Caiaphas, where the teachers of the Law and the elders were assembled.
Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the High Priest; he entered and sat with the guards, waiting to see the end.
The chief priests and the whole Supreme Council needed some false evidence against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. But they were unable to find any, even though false witnesses came forward. At last, two men came up and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
The High Priest then stood up and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer at all? What is this evidence against you?” But Jesus kept silent.
So the High Priest said to him, “In the name of the living God, I command you to tell us: Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” Jesus answered, “It is just as you say. I tell you more: from now on, you will see the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of God most powerful, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the High Priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has blasphemed. What more evidence do we need? You have just heard these blasphemous words. What is your decision?” They answered, “He must die!” Then they began to spit on Jesus and slap him, while others hit him with their fists, saying, “Messiah, prophesy! Who hit you?”
Meanwhile, as Peter sat outside in the courtyard, a young servant-girl of the house said to him, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before everyone, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
And as Peter was going out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and told the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Peter denied it again with an oath, swearing, “I do not know that man.”
After a little while, those who were standing there approached Peter and said to him, “Of course you are one of the Galileans: your accent gives you away.” Peter began justifying himself with curses and oaths, protesting that he did not know Jesus. Just then a cock crowed.
And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went away weeping bitterly.
Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people met together to look for ways of putting Jesus to death. They had him bound, and led him away to be handed over to Pilate, the governor.
When Judas, the traitor, realized that Jesus had been condemned, he was filled with remorse, and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death.” They answered, “What does it matter to us? That is your concern.” So throwing down the money in the Temple, he went away and hanged himself.
The priests picked up the money and said, “This money cannot be put into the Temple treasury, for this is the price of blood.” So they met together, and decided to buy the Potter’s Field with the money, and to make it a cemetery for foreigners. That is why, to this day, that place has been called Field of Blood.
So what the prophet Jeremiah said was fulfilled: They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price which the Sons of Israel set on him, and they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord commanded me.
Jesus stood before the governor, who asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You say so.”
The chief priests and the elders of the people accused him, but he made no answer. Pilate said to him, “Do you hear all the charges they bring against you?” But he did not answer even a single question, so that the governor wondered greatly.
At Passover, it was customary for the governor to release any prisoner the people asked for. Now there was a well-known prisoner called Barabbas. 17 When the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Whom do you want me to set free: Barabbas, or Jesus called the Messiah?” for he realized that Jesus had been handed over to him out of envy.
As Pilate was sitting in court, his wife sent him this message, “Have nothing to do with that holy man. Because of him, I had a dream last night that disturbed me greatly.”
But the chief priests and the elders of the people stirred up the crowds, to ask for the release of Barabbas and the death of Jesus. When the governor asked them again, “Which of the two do you want me to set free?” they answered, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “And what shall I do with Jesus called the Messiah?” All answered, “Crucify him!” Pilate insisted, “What evil has he done?” But they shouted louder, “Crucify him!”
Pilate realized that he was getting nowhere, and that there could be a riot. He then asked for water, and washed his hands before the people, saying, “I am not responsible for his blood. It is your doing.” And all the people answered, “Let his blood be upon us and upon our children.”
Then Pilate set Barabbas free, but had Jesus scourged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The Roman soldiers took Jesus into the palace of the governor and the whole troop gathered around him. They stripped him and dressed him in a purple military cloak. Then, twisting a crown of thorns, they forced it onto his head, and placed a reed in his right hand. They knelt before Jesus and mocked him, saying, “Long life to the King of the Jews!” They spat on him, took the reed from his hand and struck him on the head with it.
When they had finished mocking him, they pulled off the purple cloak and dressed him in his own clothes again, and led him out to be crucified.
Continue here perlie
On the way they met a man from Cyrene called Simon, and forced him to carry the cross of Jesus. When they reached the place called Golgotha, which means the Skull, 34 they offered him wine mixed with gall. Jesus tasted it but would not drink it.
There they crucified him, and divided his clothes among themselves, casting lots to decide what each one should take. Then they sat down to guard him. The statement of his offense was displayed above his head, and it read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” They also crucified two bandits with him, one on his right hand and one on his left.
People passing by shook their heads and insulted him, saying, “Aha! You who destroy the Temple and in three days rebuild it, save yourself—if you are God’s Son—and come down from the cross!”
In the same way the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the Law mocked him. They said, “The man who saved others cannot save himself. Let the King of Israel now come down from his cross and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let God rescue him if God wants to, for he himself said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
Even the robbers who were crucified with him insulted him.
From midday, darkness fell over the whole land until mid-afternoon. At about three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabbacthani?” which means: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? As soon as they heard this, some of the bystanders said, “He is calling for Elijah.” And one of them ran, took a sponge and soaked it in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave him to drink. Others said, “Leave him alone, let us see whether Elijah comes to his rescue.”
Then Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up his spirit.
Just then the curtain of the Temple sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after the resurrection of Jesus, entered the Holy City, and appeared to many.
The captain and the soldiers who guarded Jesus were greatly terrified, when they saw the earthquake and all that had happened, and said, “Truly, this was God’s Son.”
There were also some women there, who watched from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had seen to his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
It was now evening, and there came a wealthy man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and the governor ordered that the body be given to him. So Joseph took the body of Jesus, wrapped it in a clean linen sheet, and laid it in his own new tomb, which had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and left. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there in front of the tomb.
On the following day, the day after the Preparation for the Sabbath observance, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and said to him, “Sir, we remember that when that impostor was still alive, he said, ‘I will rise after three days.’ Therefore, have his tomb secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal the body, and say to the people: He is risen from the dead. This would be a worse lie than the first.” Pilate answered them, “You have soldiers, go and take all the necessary precautions.” So they went to the tomb and secured it, sealing the stone, and placed it under guard.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

April 10
Sunday

►1st Reading: Ezk 37:12–14
This is what Yahweh says, “I am going to open your tombs, I shall bring you out of your tombs, my people, and lead you back to the land of Israel. You will know that I am Yahweh, O my people! when I open your graves and bring you out of your graves, when I put my spirit in you and you live. I shall settle you in your land and you will know that I, Yahweh, have done what I said I would do.”

►Ps 130:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8
With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

►2nd Reading: Rom 8:8–11
Brothers and sisters, those walking according to the flesh cannot please God.
Yet your existence is not in the flesh, but in the spirit, because the Spirit of God is within you. If you did not have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to him. But Christ is within you; though the body is branded by death as a consequence of sin, the spirit is life and holiness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is within you, He who raised Jesus Christ from among the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Yes, he will do it through his Spirit who dwells within you.

►Gospel: Jn 11:1–45 (or Jn 11:3–7, 17, 20–27, 33–45)*
There was a sick man named Lazarus who was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was the same Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was sick.
So the sisters sent this message to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” On hearing this Jesus said, “This illness will not end in death; rather it is for God’s glory and the Son of God will be glorified through it.”
It is a fact that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; yet, after he heard of the illness of Lazarus, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Only then did he say to his disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.” They replied, “Master, recently the Jews wanted to stone you. Are you going there again?” Jesus said to them, “Are not twelve working hours needed to complete a day? Those who walk in the daytime shall not stumble, for they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, for there is no light in them.”
After that Jesus said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him.” The disciples replied, “Lord, a sick person who sleeps will recover.” But Jesus had referred to Lazarus’ death, while they thought that he had meant the repose of sleep. So Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead and for your sake I am glad I was not there, for now you may believe. But let us go there, where he is.” Then Thomas called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go that we may die with him.”
When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. As Bethany is near Jerusalem, about two miles away, many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to offer consolation at their brother’s death.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him while Mary remained sitting in the house. And she said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, at the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection; whoever believes in me, though he die, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” After that Martha went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The Master is here and is calling for you.” As soon as Mary heard this, she rose and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him….
As for Mary, when she came…fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” …Then he asked, “Where have you laid him?” They answered, “Lord, come and see.” And Jesus wept. The Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “If he could open the eyes of the blind man, could he not have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus was deeply moved again and drew near to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across it. Jesus ordered, “Take the stone away.” Martha said to him, “Lord, by now he will smell, for this is the fourth day.” Jesus replied, “Have I not told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone. Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for you have heard me. I knew that you hear me always; but my prayer was for the sake of these people, that they may believe that you sent me.” When Jesus had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what he did.