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Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 03-29-15, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 03-29-15 | Revised New American Bible

Posted on 03/28/2015 7:12:59 PM PDT by Salvation

March 29, 2015

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

 

 

At the Procession with Palms - Gospel Mk 11:1-10

When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately on entering it,
you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone should say to you,
‘Why are you doing this?’ reply,
‘The Master has need of it
and will send it back here at once.’”
So they went off
and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street,
and they untied it.
Some of the bystanders said to them,
“What are you doing, untying the colt?”
They answered them just as Jesus had told them to,
and they permitted them to do it.
So they brought the colt to Jesus
and put their cloaks over it.
And he sat on it.
Many people spread their cloaks on the road,
and others spread leafy branches
that they had cut from the fields.
Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:
“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
Hosanna in the highest!”

Or Jn 12:12-16

When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard
that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,
the king of Israel.”
Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:
Fear no more, O daughter Zion;
see, your king comes, seated upon an ass’s colt.
His disciples did not understand this at first,
but when Jesus had been glorified
they remembered that these things were written about him
and that they had done this for him.

At the Mass - Reading 1 Is 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

R. (2a) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Reading 2 Phil 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Verse Before the Gospel Phil 2:8-9

Christ became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

Gospel Mk 14:1—15:47

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread
were to take place in two days’ time.
So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way
to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
They said, “Not during the festival,
for fear that there may be a riot among the people.”

When he was in Bethany reclining at table
in the house of Simon the leper,
a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,
costly genuine spikenard.
She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
There were some who were indignant.
“Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages
and the money given to the poor.”
They were infuriated with her.
Jesus said, “Let her alone.
Why do you make trouble for her?
She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you,
and whenever you wish you can do good to them,
but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could.
She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
Amen, I say to you,
wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,
what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,
went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.
Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
his disciples said to him,
“Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there.”
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me,
one who is eating with me.”
They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,
“Surely it is not I?”
He said to them,
“One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, and said,
“Take it; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
“This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,
“All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be dispersed.

But after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to him,
“Even though all should have their faith shaken,
mine will not be.”
Then Jesus said to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows twice
you will deny me three times.”
But he vehemently replied,
“Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you.”
And they all spoke similarly.
Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,
“Sit here while I pray.”
He took with him Peter, James, and John,
and began to be troubled and distressed.
Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch.”
He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed
that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;
he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.
Take this cup away from me,
but not what I will but what you will.”
When he returned he found them asleep.
He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep?
Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
Then he returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open
and did not know what to answer him.
He returned a third time and said to them,
“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
It is enough. The hour has come.
Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Then, while he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs
who had come from the chief priests,
the scribes, and the elders.
His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying,
“The man I shall kiss is the one;
arrest him and lead him away securely.”
He came and immediately went over to him and said,
“Rabbi.” And he kissed him.
At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
One of the bystanders drew his sword,
struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Have you come out as against a robber,
with swords and clubs, to seize me?
Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area,
yet you did not arrest me;
but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”
And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him
wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.
They seized him,
but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.

They led Jesus away to the high priest,
and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard
and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death, but they found none.
Many gave false witness against him,
but their testimony did not agree.
Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,
alleging, “We heard him say,
‘I will destroy this temple made with hands
and within three days I will build another
not made with hands.’”
Even so their testimony did not agree.
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus,
saying, “Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?”
But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him and said to him,
“Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?”
Then Jesus answered, “I am;
and ‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power
and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”
At that the high priest tore his garments and said,
“hat further need have we of witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?”
They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him.
They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, “Prophesy!”
And the guards greeted him with blows.

While Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the high priest’s maids came along.
Seeing Peter warming himself,
she looked intently at him and said,
“You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”
But he denied it saying,
“I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.”
So he went out into the outer court.
Then the cock crowed.
The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,
“This man is one of them.”
Once again he denied it.
A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,
“Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”
He began to curse and to swear,
“I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”
And immediately a cock crowed a second time.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,
“Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”
He broke down and wept.

As soon as morning came,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,
“Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,
“Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of.”
Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered,
“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
For he knew that it was out of envy
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,
“Then what do you want me to do
with the man you call the king of the Jews?”
They shouted again, “Crucify him.”
Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?”
They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, AHail, King of the Jews!”
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha
— which is translated Place of the Skull —
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
“The King of the Jews.”
With him they crucified two revolutionaries,
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,
“Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross.”
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocked him among themselves and said,
“He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe.”
Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
which is translated,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
“Look, he is calling Elijah.”
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed
and gave it to him to drink saying,
“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he breathed his last he said,
“Truly this man was the Son of God!”
There were also women looking on from a distance.
Among them were Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
These women had followed him when he was in Galilee
and ministered to him.
There were also many other women
who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

When it was already evening,
since it was the day of preparation,
the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,
a distinguished member of the council,
who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,
came and courageously went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.
He summoned the centurion
and asked him if Jesus had already died.
And when he learned of it from the centurion,
he gave the body to Joseph.
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,
wrapped him in the linen cloth,
and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.
Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
watched where he was laid.

Or Mk 15:1-39

As soon as morning came,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,
“Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,
“Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of.”
Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered,
“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
For he knew that it was out of envy
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,
“Then what do you want me to do
with the man you call the king of the Jews?”
They shouted again, “Crucify him.”
Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?”
They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha
—which is translated Place of the Skull —
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
“The King of the Jews.”
With him they crucified two revolutionaries,
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,
“Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross.”
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocked him among themselves and said,
“He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe.”
Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
which is translated,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
“Look, he is calling Elijah.”
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed
and gave it to him to drink saying,
“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he breathed his last he said,
“Truly this man was the Son of God!”



TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; jn12; lent; mk11; mk14; mk15; prayer
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Daily Gospel Commentary

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion - Year B

Commentary of the day
Attributed to Saint Ephrem of Salamis (? – 403), Bishop
1st Homily for the Feast of Palms

“See, your king shall come to you, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.” (Zech 9:9)



“Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion.” Be filled with joy, Church of God. “See, your king shall come to you.” (Zech 9:9) Go out to meet him, hasten to contemplate his glory. This is the world’s salvation: God comes to the cross, and the Desired of the nations (Hag 2:7) enters Zion. The light is coming. Let us cry out with the people: “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The Lord God has appeared to us who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death (Lk 1:79). He appeared as the resurrection of those who have fallen, the liberation of captives, the light of the blind, the consolation of the afflicted, rest for the weak, spring for those who thirst, avenger of the persecuted, redemption of those who are lost, union of the divided, doctor for the sick, salvation of those who have gone astray.

Yesterday, Christ raised Lazarus from the dead; today he is going to his own death. Yesterday, he tore off the strips of cloth that bound Lazarus; today he is stretching out his hand to those who want to bind him. Yesterday, he tore that man away from darkness; today, for humankind, he is going down into darkness and the shadow of death. And the Church is celebrating. She is beginning the feast of feasts, for she is receiving her king as a spouse, for her king is in her midst.


21 posted on 03/28/2015 7:40:57 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY MK 15:1-39

Competing moral codes and the Passion of Christ

Fr. Jerry Pokorsky

Everyone has a philosophy of life, so philosophers observe. It’s just a matter of one’s self-awareness of the philosophy. Hence there are realists, surrealists, existentialists, phenomenologists and so on. But most philosophers agree everyone is a “realist” when it comes to the pay and benefits grid. (You don’t want to anger the existential realism of the IRS with an “appearance is reality” argument.) It can also be said that everyone has a moral code. It’s just a matter of one’s self-awareness of one’s moral code.

The emerging modern secular moral code is increasingly clear and has significant overlaps with the Christian moral code. Mass murder, genocide, racism and forcible sexual relations — for now — remain on the “Thou shalt not” cultural list, and we can be grateful for that. There are, of course, items on the margins that may coincide with the Judeo-Christian code but are vague enough to cause restlessness: insensitivity, non-inclusivity, judgmentalism, economic injustice and failure to recognize global warming. Ambiguity in these terms is often used to support the prudential (and hence arguable) portions of the secular moral code to the exclusion of thoughtful disagreements.

There are several examples. Increasingly, phrases like “law and order” are read to be code words for “racism.” (Of course in many situations this could be true as, for example, when law enforcement guns were turned on striking immigrant mine workers in 1897 in Lattimore, Pa.) It is common to accuse those promoting “fiscal responsibility” in government spending as being “insensitive to the poor” when government programs need to be downsized. There is insistence that “global warming” is a fact and that any opposition to the “settled science” is sinful. There is room, of course, in all these matters for reasonable debate. But the lines of demarcation between the old and the new Commandments are increasingly clear elsewhere.

According to the modern world, consensual sex wherever it can be enjoyed is an unalienable human right protected by the U.S. Constitution and the Comedy Channel. Pornography is playful and fun. Adultery may be unfortunate but always necessary for “life to go on.” “Reproductive rights” is a code phrase for contraception and abortion. And the “war on women” is code for encouraging laws preventing women from killing their unborn babies. In some ways, the secular moral code has gained such widespread acceptance that protests by a few Christians are reduced to “voices crying out in the wilderness”: embryonic stem cell research; in vitro fertilization; cohabitation (“living together before marriage”) and cable TV porn. As a culture we have succumbed to man’s first temptation in the Garden of Eden. We have chosen to be “like God” by “knowing (being in charge of) good and evil.”

In the meantime, Christians, for better but often for worse, tend to be “live and let live” with sins. And we know we are sinners ourselves. We often feel disqualified to respond in the public square, either because we are “cursed by the memory” of our own failures and sins (and hence open to charges of “hypocrisy”), or fear being labelled “judgmental.” So we remain silent and, taking recourse in the sacraments, live our lives in relative privacy. But the silence comes at a price.

There are new signs that the culture is on the verge of overthrowing the shackles of the old moral "constraints" (good morality is, in reality, an expression of man's true freedom) and replacing them definitively with its new politically correct moral order. Over the last several years, the bishops have been in a high profile battle to prevent the government from forcing Catholic institutions to pay for contraception. Recently, an archbishop’s insistence that teachers support Catholic morality in Catholic schools is being met with widespread resistance by many inside and outside of the church. Changes in the very definition of marriage have caused many churchmen to run for cover, avoiding at all costs any charges of “judgmentalism.”

Some Christians might be in despair when it comes to finding any remedy for all this confusion. But the remedy is available and must begin with a serious meditation on the events we are about to celebrate in the church this week. The Passion of Christ remains a historical fact. He suffered for our sins. He died for sins. In His tormented face and body on the cross, we see what sin does. We do not define ourselves in the nature of sin. The church herself is merely a witness. Christ Himself reveals and defines the nature of good and evil. “If you love me,” Jesus tells His disciples, “keep my commandments.” The cross is real and the objectively just measure of the consequences of sin and its horrible power to disfigure. The tormented body on the cross is also an image of soul ravaged by sin — in the “state of sin.” If our sins tortured Christ to death, the same sins become self-inflicted wounds in need of His divine remedy. We need His love, and in contemplation of the cross, we should find ourselves desperate for His love.

Meditation on the Passion of Christ is essential to bring us to sobriety and sanity. Ours is to witness to His code of life purified of our horrible personal and cultural immoral accretions. With God’s grace, ours is to live as Christ, to love as Christ, to die with Christ as we await His Resurrection.

Fr. Pokorsky is pastor of St. Michael Church in Annandale.


22 posted on 03/28/2015 7:42:41 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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The Work of God

Year B  -  Passion (Palm)Sunday

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord

Mark 11:1-10

1 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
2 and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.
3 If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.' "
4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it,
5 some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"
6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.
7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it.
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.
9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

If you were to see what I saw, the enthusiasm of all the people welcoming me to Jerusalem, you would think that I was a very powerful leader with nothing to fear for his life. But this was the opposite, I was receiving a show of hypocrisy, a reception to my death.

Except for a handful of those people, everybody turned their backs to me when I was being judged and condemned for doing the work of God.

I am sure you would be very disappointed of those people, wouldn’t you? What I am about to tell you is the truth, something to make you think.

All my followers, yes, including you, will have those moments of acclamation and praise, of joy and celebration because I am coming into their lives, but when temptation comes, they forget about me and condemn me to death. Yes. It is sin that put me on the cross, your sins and the sins of the whole world.

It is a terrifying thought but at the same time it must be your meditation so that you strengthen yourself against temptations and remember how much you cost me, that I paid for your soul with my own suffering and death.

And yet I want to remind you that praising is a very powerful kind of prayer, it is the prayer of the angels who constantly praise God for his glory, holiness, majesty, honor, omnipotence, power, wisdom and love.

My child, praise the Lord, bless the Lord and thank the Lord constantly for the gift of your life and for His divine attributes. Start your day praising, blessing and thanking God, live your day praising, blessing and thanking God, go to bed praising, blessing and thanking God; so that your soul will even praise, bless and thank God during your sleep.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary


23 posted on 03/28/2015 7:45:36 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Sunday Gospel Reflections

Passion Sunday
Reading I: Isaiah 50:4-7 II: Philipians 2:6-11


Gospel
Mark 14:1-15:47

By the sheer length of the Passion narrative, we only look at some significant moments.


Interesting Details
One Main Point

Jesus stands as a lonely figure throughout this Passion account. His hour had come. He had to suffer alone before he could come to glory.


Reflections
  1. With which one person could you best relate, or with whom would you identify yourself? Why?
  2. Mark's Passion account is called the greatest instruction on discipleship. Why?

24 posted on 03/28/2015 7:48:04 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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"With Christians, a poetical view of things is a duty. We are bid to color all things with hues of faith, to see a divine meaning in every event."

- Cardinal John Henry Newman

25 posted on 03/28/2015 7:52:06 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Just A Minute Just A Minute (Listen)
Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click.

26 posted on 03/28/2015 7:52:48 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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The Angelus 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 


Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 


27 posted on 03/28/2015 7:53:15 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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See What the End Shall Be – A Palm Sunday Reflection

See What the End Shall Be – A Palm Sunday Reflection

By: Msgr. Charles Pope

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The Passion which we read in today’s liturgy is too long to comment on in detail. We are only able to take a portion and examine it.

The usual villains such as the Temple leaders, Judas, and the recruited crowd, which shouted “Crucify him!” are fairly obvious in displaying their sinfulness and are unambiguously wicked. But there are others who participate in the Passion accounts whose sinfulness, struggles and neglect are more subtle, but still real and contribute significantly to the Lord’s sufferings on Good Friday. It is perhaps, in these figures that we can learn a great deal about ourselves. For while we may not overtly shout “crucify,” we are often not as holy and heroic as the persecutors were wicked and bold.

As these behaviors are noted, we must understand that WE do these things. For the Passion accounts are not merely portraits of people long gone, they are portraits of you and me. We do these things.

So, lets look at sins and weaknesses of Jesus followers (us) in three stages.

I. The Perception that is Partial – In the middle of the Last Supper, in today’s Gospel the disciples of Jesus are reminded of what the next days will hold. Jesus says,

All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed. But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.

Note that the apostles are reminded of these facts since Jesus has said them before on a few occasions. For example:

  1. From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matt 16:21)
  2. When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief. (Matt 17:22-23)
  3. We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Matt 20:19)

Thus we see that the Lord has consistently tried to teach and prepare them for the difficulties ahead. He has told them exactly what is going to happen and how it will end: NOT in death, but rising to new life. But though he has told them over and over, they still do not understand or see. Thus he predicts that their faith in in will be shaken.

For their perception is partial and they will see only the negative, and forget that he has promised to rise. Since they cannot see beyond the apparent defeat of the moment they will retreat into fear and not boldly and confidently accompany him to his passion and glorification (for his passion IS is lifting up, his glorification). Instead they will flee. He has shown the “what the end shall be.” But they cannot see or accept it. Thus fear overwhelms them and draw back into a sinful fear and disassociation from Jesus. Only a few, Mary his Mother, John, Magdalene, and a few other women would see him through to the end.

But as for the rest, they see only what is gory and awful, and miss what is glorious and awesome. Yes, their perception is quite partial and their blindness comes, paradoxically, from not hearing or listening to what Jesus has been telling them all along.

We too can easily suffer from a blindness caused by poor hearing. For the Lord has often told us, that if we trust, our struggles will end in glory and new life. But, blind and forgetful, we give way to our fears and fail to boldly walk the way of Christ’s passion. We draw back and disassociate ourselves from Jesus and exhibit some of the same tendencies and problems we will now observe in the people of that day.

So lets examine some of the problems that emerge from the partial perception and forgetful fear of many of the disciples and others.

II. The Problems Presented - The problems that emerge are at least five. They are unhealthy and sinful patterns that emerge from the fear generated in not trusting Jesus vision and refusing to see it. We can consider them one by one. Please understand that the word “we” used here is shorthand and does not mean that every single person does this. Rather, it means that, collectively, we have these tendencies. But no need to take everything here personally.

A. DEFELCTING – When Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus with oil, some of them, led by Judas according to the other Gospels claim that her extravagant care for Jesus is offensive to to the poor. This of course is a false dichotomy and Jesus calls them on it. It is good to care of for the poor but it is also good to worship God. Judas is deflecting, claiming to love the poor is likely a way we can avoid looking at the fact that he does not really love Christ and that his heart is far from him; so fa in fact that he is preparing to betray him. Care of the poor is good but it cannot alone be a substitute for a vigorous love of Christ and obedience to all he commands. Sadly some reduce the gospel to what they call social justice. But too easily this can be a self-congratulatory deflection that hides disobedience in other areas and the whole-hearted love and obedience that Christ seeks. He calls Judas on this and warns us as well. 

B. DISPOSED - When Jesus says, “One of you will betray me” Each of them says in turn, “Surely it is not I Lord.” Here is a moment of remarkable honesty. Though their replies express some incredulity, they also know deep down that they had the capacity to betray Christ. And so do we. We are predisposed to evil, betrayal and sin in many ways. Our natures are fallen and we are easily selfish, even at the cost of grave injustice to others and betrayal of friends. We all have in us great goodness and also a great inclination to evil. We must be sober and be willing to ask, “Surely it is not I Lord?”

C. DROWSY - One of the common human techniques for dealing with stress and the hardships of life is to just go numb and drowsy. We can just doze off into a moral sleep. Being vigilant to threats posed to our souls by sin, or the harm caused by injustice, (whether to ourselves or others) is just too stressful. So we just tune out. We stop noting or really even caring about critically important matters. We anesthetize ourselves with things like creature comforts, meaningless distractions, alcohol or drugs. We go into a kind of moral sleep and we begin to lack a prayerful vigilance. Prayer and spirituality pose too many uncomfortable questions. So we just tune out and daydream about meaningless things like what a certain Hollywood star is doing, or what the latest sports stats are.

In the passion accounts, Peter, James and John are personally asked by the Lord to pray with him. But they doze. Perhaps it is the wine. Surely it is the flesh (for the Lord speaks of it). But unwilling or unable to deal with the stress the Lord is clearly under, they just tune out, go numb, and doze off.

Grave evil is at the very door. But they sleep on. The Lord warns them to stay awake, lest they give way to temptation. But still they sleep.

Someone they know and love is in grave danger, but it is too much, so they just tune out, much as we tune out at the overwhelming suffering of Christ in the poor and needy. We just stop noticing. It’s too painful, so we tune out.

The Lord had often warned them to be vigilant, sober and alert (Mk 13:34, Matt 25:13, Mk 13:37; Matt 24:42; Luke 21:36, inter al). Other scriptures would later pick up the theme (Romans 13:11; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Thess 5:6, inter al). For drowsiness is a significant and serious spiritual problem.

Sadly God described us well when he remarked to Isaiah: Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. (Is 56:10)

But, despite the sleepiness of the disciples, the wicked are still awake, and the threat does not go away by a drowsy inattentiveness to it. Thus we ought to be confident and sober. Life’s challenges are nothing to fear, for the Lord has told us we have already won, if we trust him. But the disciples have forgotten Jesus promise to rise after three days. And so, often, have we. So they, and we just give way to stress and tune out.

D. DISASSOCIATING - Peter, confronted with the fearful prospect of being condemned with Jesus denies that he knows him or is one of his followers. He disassociates himself from Christ. We too, confronted with the possibility of far lesser things like ridicule, will often deny a connection with the Lord or with the Church.

Someone might say of one of the more controversial passages of scripture (such as prohibitions on divorce, fornication, homosexual activity, commands to tithe, etc), “Oh, you don’t really believe that, do you?” And it’s too easy to give way to fear and either say “no” or to qualify our belief. Why suffer ridicule, endure further questioning, or experience the unpleasantry of debate?

So we just disassociate, compromise, or qualify our faith to avoid the stress.We even congratulate ourselves for being tolerant, etc. when we do it.

Jesus says, If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels. (Mat 16:21). But too easily we ARE ashamed.

And so, like Peter, we engage in some form of denial. Peter was afraid because he has forgotten to “see what the end shall be.” He has forgotten that Jesus will rise after three days. So too do we often forget that. So we lack confidence and give way to fear, and we deny, so as to avoid suffering with Jesus.

E. DODGINGSimply put, when Jesus is arrested, all the disciples except John split. They “get the heck out of Dodge.” They are nowhere to be found. One of them, (could it be Mark himself?) ran off naked.

After Jesus’ arrest, it is said that Peter, prior to his own denials had followed the Lord, “at a distance” (Mk 14:54) but as soon as trouble rose, he too scrammed.

And we too can run. Sometimes it’s persecutions from the world. But sometimes its just our own self-generated fear that following the Lord is too hard, and involves too many sacrifices we are just not willing to make. Maybe it will endanger our money since the Lord insists that we tithe and be generous to the poor. Maybe it will endanger our playboy lifestyle since the Lord insists on chastity and respect. Maybe we are doing something we have no business doing, that is unjust, excessive or sinful. But, rather than face our fears, whether from within or without, we just high-tail it out.

The disciples forgot that Jesus has shown them what the end shall be. In three days he would win the victory. But, this forgotten, their fears emerged and they ran. We too, must see what the end shall be to resist and confront our many fears.

F. DISAVOWING – Now in this case our example is Pontius Pilate, not one of the disciples. But the fact is that Pilate was summoned to faith, just like anyone else. “Are you a King?” he asked Jesus. And Jesus responds by putting Pilate on trial: “You say so.” In other words, “It is you who have said these words. Do you think they are true?”

The fact is, Pilate has a choice to make but disavows it, that is he denies he has to choose. But he must choose. Either he will accept what Jesus is saying as true, or he will give way to fear and commit a terrible sin of injustice. Now the texts all make it clear that Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. But, because he feared the crowds he handed Jesus over.

Now, note PILATE did this. The crowds tempted him through fear, but HE did the condemning. Yet note that he tries to deflect his choice. Mark says he handed Jesus over to please the crowd, But Matthew adds, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” (Mat 16:21). Well, actually Pilate it is also YOUR responsibility. You had a choice and you made. Your own career and hide were more important that justice. And, though you wanted to do what was right and were sympathetic with Jesus, merely wanting to do what is right is not enough.

So too for us. We also will favor our career or hide over what is right. And in so doing we will often blame others for what we freely choose. “I am not responsible, my mother dropped me on my head when I was two” ….etc.

In effect we are often willing to say, “Look Jesus, I love you. You get my Sundays, and my tithe and, generally I obey you. But you have to understand, I have a career, I need to make money for my family. If I really stand up for what is right, I might not make it in this world. You understand, don’t you?…I know the company is doing some things that are unjust, I know the world needs a clearer witness from me….and I’ll do all that, after I retire. But for now…..well, you know. It’s really may boss whose to blame. It’s this old hell bound sin soaked world that’s to blame. Not me!” And we wash our hands and excuse our silence and inaction in the face of injustice and sin.

And all this is done in fear. We forget what the end shall be and get focused on the fearful present. We lack the vision Jesus is trying to give us that in three days we will rise with him. But we stay blind to that and only see the threat of now.

III. The Path that is Prescribed – OK, by now you ought to know the path that is prescribed: See what the end shall be! In three days we rise! Why are we afraid? Jesus has already won the victory. It is true, we get there through the cross. But, never forget what the end shall be! Today we read the Gospel of Friday, but wait till Sunday morning! I’ll rise!

We end where we began with this gospel: All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed. But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.

Yes, after he has been raised, he goes before us into Galilee. And for us, Galilee is heaven. Whatever our sorrows, if we are faithful we will see Jesus in the Galilee of heaven. Never forget this vision. After three days we will rise with him and be reunited in Galilee.

So take courage, see what the end shall be! The end for those who are faithful is total victory. We don’t need to drowse, destroy, deny, dodge and deflect. We’ve already won. All we need to do is hold out.

An old Gospel songs says, I promised the Lord that I would hold out! He said he’s meet me in Galilee! So hold out, Galilee is not far, in three days we rise with him.


28 posted on 03/28/2015 8:30:40 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Video I

Video II

29 posted on 03/28/2015 8:36:33 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Passiontide and Holy Week

Passiontide and Holy Week

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Passiontide

Christ became, for our sake, obedient unto death,
even the death of the Cross.
Philippians 2:8

Contents:
The Celebration of Passiontide
Passion Sunday
- Blessed palms and Palm procession
Holy Week - Confession and Easter Duty
The Triduum - Tenebrae

See also Paschalis Sollemnitatis - Vatican Letter on Preparations for Holy Week and Easter - Congregation for Divine Worship
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Confession - Penance
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Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday


PASSIONTIDE is the last two weeks of Lent, when the readings and prayers of the liturgy focus on the Passion of Our Lord. The word "passion", in the Christian sense, does not mean an intense emotion; it refers to the historical events of Jesus' suffering and death.

Although for several centuries the Fifth Sunday of Lent was known as Passion Sunday, after the Second Vatican Council this name was restored to the Sunday at beginning of Holy Week , formerly called Palm Sunday. As a penitential season of the Church, Passiontide is evidently even more ancient than Lent.

Devotions and Prayers for Passiontide

Among the traditional non-liturgical devotions of Passiontide are saying the Stations of the Cross, praying the Rosary, meditating on the five Sorrowful Mysteries, and saying the five prayers in honor of Christ's five wounds.

The Sorrowful Mysteries are: 1. The Agony in the Garden; 2. The Scourging at the Pillar; 3. The Crowning with Thorns; 4. The Carrying of the Cross; 5. The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord on the Cross.

There are many booklets containing meditations on the Rosary. Father Romano Guardini's The Rosary (Sophia Institute Press) is excellent, and The Handbook of Prayers (Midwest Theological Forum) contains the Rosary and many other prayers (see links page to contact these publishers). Pope John Paul II's meditations in The Light of Christ is a good resource for this and other devotions.

It is fitting, during this season, that we remember Mary and her inexpressible grief at the suffering and death of her Son.

Another ancient devotion for this season was The Seven Sorrows [Dolors] of Mary. Christian believers appealed to Mary, the Mother of Sorrows who publicly shared in her Son's suffering on the road to Calvary, taking all things upon herself ­ concern, affliction and sorrow.

This devotion listed the Seven Sorrows of Mary as: 1. The prophecy of Simeon, 2. The flight to Egypt, 3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple, 4. His way of the Cross, 5. His Crucifixion, 6. The piercing of His heart on Calvary, and 7. His burial in the tomb.

The famous hymn associated with this devotion is the Stabat Mater Dolorosa (Stands the Sorrowful Mother) which was originally written for private devotion in the late 13th century and traditionally attributed to the Franciscan, Jacopone da Todi. The words in English and Latin are in the music section of the Lent-Easter Family source book.

Both Latin and English words to the Stabat Mater are on this site, and both words and music are in The Adoremus Hymnal, nos.400 and 401. (For information about The Adoremus Hymnal see the Adoremus website, www.adoremus.org, or contact Ignatius Press - see links page.)

All of the events of Our Lord's Passion have been the subjects of works of great Christian art. A good activity with children would be to look at and talk about some of these beautiful works, either in books or, if you're fortunate enough to live near one, an art museum.

These words of St. Paul to the Philippians [2:8] might be recited during the two weeks before Easter, along with the Act of Hope, at morning, bedtime or mealtime prayers:

Christ became, for our sake, obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.

Act of Hope

O my God, knowing thy almighty power, and thy infinite goodness and mercy,
I hope in thee that, by the merits of the Passion and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
thou wilt grant me eternal life, which thou hast promised to all such as shall do the works of a good Christian;
and these I resolve to do, with the help of thy Grace.
Amen +

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Passion (Palm) Sunday 

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelcis!

Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

Holy Week, the most solemn and intense period of worship in the Christian faith, begins with Passion Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. In spite of the spiritual gravity of Holy Week, it begins with joy; for on this Sunday, the Church celebrates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem which foretells the victory of His Resurrection and His return to earth in glory; and with the first reading of the Passion in the liturgies of Holy Week, the Church begins her commemorative pilgrimage with her Lord on His way to Calvary.

Liturgical commemoration of the Passion actually begins during the fifth week of Lent, when Masses are focused on the power of the Cross and the Kingship of Christ. Until the liturgical reforms just before the Second Vatican Council restored important liturgical elements of the early Church which had gradually disappeared (the Easter Vigil, for example), the Fifth Sunday of Lent was called Passion Sunday, and the Sunday beginning Holy Week was called Palm Sunday. Earliest accounts describing the beginning of Holy Week speak of Passion Sunday.

Blessed Palms

The blessing and distribution of palms takes place on Passion Sunday, and altar decorations are palm branches rather than flowers. The palms are solemnly blessed by the priest, and each worshipper holds the blessed palm during the singing of the ancient hymn, Gloria Laus ("All Glory, Laud and Honor") and during reading of the Passion.

These solemnly blessed palms are sacramentals, or signs of Christ's grace which help Christians in the practice of the faith, and, as they are associated with Christ's triumph, the palms symbolize victory over spiritual danger and death. For this reason, palms are associated with martyrdom, and often appear in paintings and sculpture of those who were martyred for the faith. This also explains the old custom of burning a palm in the stove in time of danger (from a threatening storm, for example).

As the blessed palms are sacramentals, then, Catholics keep them in their homes, customarily placing them behind the crucifix. The ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from the burning of blessed palms.

This Sunday was also sometimes called the Pasch of Flowers in European countries, because throughout the Middle Ages flowers were blessed on this day along with palms and olive branches. (The State of Florida is so named because Ponce de Leon landed there on Pasqua Florida Sunday.) The words "pasch" and "paschal" come from the Hebrew word "pesach'" meaning "passage" or "passover."

The Passion Sunday liturgy, incorporating both the blessing of the palms and commemoration of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to the joyous Hosannas of the people, and the reading of the Passion Gospel, combines two contrasting elements .The two parts are linked by the traditional procession which follows the blessing and distribution of the palms and which leads into the Sacrifice of the Mass; hence symbolically reproducing the historical event of Our Lord's royal entry into Jerusalem which signifies the actual meeting of the Church with Christ; moreover, His entry foretells the entry of the faithful into the eternal Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Palm Procession

According to the account of a fifth-century Spanish pilgrim to the Holy Land, Passion Sunday Mass was celebrated in Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. After this the people were invited to meet again in the afternoon at the Mount of Olives, in the Church of Eleona (the grotto of the Our Father). They then proceeded to the Church of the Ascension for a service consisting of hymns and antiphons, readings and prayers, where at five o'clock in the afternoon the Gospel of the palms was read and the procession set out for the city. The people responded to the antiphons with the acclamation, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," as we say even today.

All these pilgrims carried palms, and with their little children in their arms they escorted the bishop (who represented the Savior) to the Church of the Resurrection where the processsion ended with Vespers (evening prayer).

This palm procession was introduced in the West first in France and then in Italy. In the Middle Ages the custom began of carving a wooden statue of Christ seated on a donkey which was then placed on a cart, the center of the procession. These statues were called Palm Donkeys or Palmesels, and some are preserved in museums.

In medieval Rome the papal procession set out from the papal residence at the Lateran, then the official headquarters of the Popes as the Vatican is now. The palms were blessed by a cardinal and some were distributed by acolytes at the ancient Church of St. Sylvester nearby. The Pope alsodistributed them himself in the Hall of Leo IV at the Lateran.

 

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Holy Week

At the Name of Jesus, every knee should bend
for the Lord became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:10,8

HOLY WEEK has been held in great reverence since the very early years of the Church. No other Christian observance has interested the world so much as Holy Week. For the rituals of the Church during these few days of each year, so complex and so laden with meaning, emphatically and prophetically proclaim to the entire world the liberating and redeeming and perpetual truth of the Gospel the Good News that Christ has died, Christ is risen and Christ will come again.

As early as the fourth century, St. John Chrysostom referred to Holy Week as The Great Week, "Not that it has more days in it than other weeks, or that its days are made up of more hours than other days; but we call it great, because of the great mysteries which are then celebrated" [Homily 30, on Genesis]. In other Christian cultures we find the week before Easter referred to by several names such as the Painful Week (Hebdomada Poenosa) because of the sufferings of the Christ and of the fatigue and physical sacrifice required of the faithful in observing them.

Although in our time and nation the Church's only required food fast is to restrict meals (fast) and to abstain from meat (abstinence) on Good Friday, we learn from medieval Church documents that Christians observed a strict fast from Monday of Holy Week to the cock-crow of Easter Day. A very strict fast was usually observed from Thursday evening to Easter morning.

History also tells us that early Christian rulers issued decrees forbidding not only festive activities but also work in trade, business, and the courts. Holy Week, it was decreed, was to be spent in contemplation and meditation and the faithful were be free from worldly concerns as much as possible. (Clearly this was before anyone had the idea of "separation of Church and State.") 

Confession and the Easter Duty

The discipline of fasting from food is not the only nor even the primary way in which we must prepare our entire selves ­ body and soul ­ to receive the benefits of our Savior's redeeming sacrifice. Physical fasting is not enough.

St. Paul warns us that "you cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all your self-indulgent passions and desires" [Galations 5:24]. We are powerless to do this alone. We must have God's help. In order to receive Christ and in order to prepare ourselves for our responsibility for His mission on earth, we must be drawn ever closer to Him in prayer and action. But sin separates us from Him. We must be convinced of our sins, repent, receive forgiveness and be reconciled to God.

Through His Grace we must try to become holy, "perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect." This is why the Church calls all her people, especially at this time of year, to the Sacrament of Penance, to perform their Easter Duty. At least once each year during the Easter season Catholics are required to confess sins, receive absolution and receive Communion in order to remain truly members of the the Church.

This is what the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, like the early Fathers of the Church, tried to teach us with the emphasis on personal awareness of how we have offended God and need His forgiveness. As Pope John Paul II said "The awareness of sin, in which the person knows before whom and towards whom he is guilty, is an indispensable pre-condition for obtaining the objective value of forgiveness. This is because He against whom the sin is committed and who is therefore offended is also the Father who has the power to fogive it." And this is what the Church invites us no, implores us to do during Holy Week.

Related pages on this site: Act of Contrition -- Confession-Penance -- Fast and Abstinence

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The Triduum

In the Triduum, or Three Days, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday ,the Church gives us a singularly dramatic, intense and richly symbolic expression of the very heart of Christian belief. Even in our unspiritual time and culture, the Triduum and Easter reaffirm the essence of the Church's central beliefs in the strongest possible way a way which penetrates the deepest recesses of the human heart, and calls forth a response from all, young and old, rich and poor, and in every state of life.

Through the Church's continued observance of many ancient liturgical traditions, and also the restoration of the ancient Easter Vigil, the liturgical expression of these core truths of the faith during Holy Week is without parallel. Although the penitential season is now less severe than in times past, and some inspiring symbols and devotions were lost in the confusion of rapid and sometimes erroneous liturgical changes after the Second Vatican Council, for the believing Catholic the days of Holy Week make it possible even for us, who are so easily distracted by the world and its enticements, to concentrate with our entire being on the Events which assured us of God's inestimable love, and which made possible our Salvation.

By participating in the liturgy of the Church and by increasing our own observance of these holy days in our homes, we can deepen our understanding of these Events in the history of Salvation.

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Tenebræ

The Latin word Tenebræ means "darkness." Tenebræ is very ancient service of prayers in the Church which takes place during the darkness of night. Many parishes are now reviving this extraordinarily moving service which consists of three sets of Psalms and verses from the Lamentations of Jeremiah chanted on each of three nights of Holy Week: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. (Originally this was a service of Matins said in monasteries before dawn on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday; but it customarily takes place the evenings before.)

The service begins with the nave of the church in darkness, except for a candelabrum on a stand in the sanctuary, usually containing fifteen candles arranged in an inverted `v', called a `Tenebræ hearse.' As each lamentation, introduced with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is chanted one of the candles is extinguished until only one, representing the Light of Christ remains. Then this is extinguished, leaving the church in darkness. The ministers and cantor leave the sanctuary, and a loud noise like a thunderclap (representing the earthquake during the Crucifixion) is heard; after which a single candle representing the Light of Christ is brought in, placed on the altar and the people leave in silence.

This is a very impressive service, and we hope you are able to attend with your children at least once during the Triduum. If your parish does not have Tenebræ it is worth trying to find a place that does.

If you have young children you might consider using the adaptation of this service in this book, Stations of the Cross. It is by no means as powerful as real Tenebræ, celebrated in church, but it does retain the symbolism of Christ as our Light, and it may be a workable substitute if your children are little or if the real service is not available where you live. (See Stations of the Cross.)


30 posted on 03/29/2015 8:34:42 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
See What the End Shall Be -- A Palm Sunday Reflection
Four Immediate Results of the Death of Jesus on the Cross, according to Matthew
You Have to Decide About Jesus, one way or the other- A Meditation on the Trial Before Pilate
What Does Jesus Mean When He Says He is Coming on the Clouds?
Pontius Pilate should have listened to his wife
The Revolutionary Message of Palm Sunday
See What the End Shall Be – A Homily for Palm Sunday
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Into the Harbour of the Sacred Passion
Pope Francis, humble like a donkey in all faithfulness on this Palm Sunday (Yikes!)

Pope [Francis]: Homily for Palm Sunday Mass [full text]
Pope, Just Back From Trip, Celebrates Palm Sunday (with good news from Cuba)
Are You Ready for Palm Sunday? [Ecumenical]
A week with the Lord [Reflections on Passion Sunday and Holy Week]
Celebration of Palm Sunday Of The Passion Of Our Lord; Homily Of His Holiness Benedict XVI
Palm Sunday
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In Agony Until the End of the World
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Pope Says Youth Sound Have 'Innocent Hands and Pure Hearts' at Palm Sunday Mass

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Pope Opens Holy Week With Palm Sunday Mass
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HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER ON PALM SUNDAY FROM 2001-2005.
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HOSANNA SUNDAY
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Palm Sunday (In Art)
Palm Sunday (Artistic Representations)
RELIGIOUS HISTORY: On Palm Sunday, the path to Golgotha

31 posted on 03/29/2015 8:35:21 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Mark
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  Mark 11
1 And when they were drawing near to Jerusalem and to Bethania at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, et cum adpropinquarent Hierosolymae et Bethaniae ad montem Olivarum mittit duos ex discipulis suis και οτε εγγιζουσιν εις ιερουσαλημ εις βηθφαγη και βηθανιαν προς το ορος των ελαιων αποστελλει δυο των μαθητων αυτου
2 And saith to them: Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet hath sat: loose him, and bring him. et ait illis ite in castellum quod est contra vos et statim introeuntes illuc invenietis pullum ligatum super quem nemo adhuc hominum sedit solvite illum et adducite και λεγει αυτοις υπαγετε εις την κωμην την κατεναντι υμων και ευθεως εισπορευομενοι εις αυτην ευρησετε πωλον δεδεμενον εφ ον ουδεις ανθρωπων κεκαθικεν λυσαντες αυτον αγαγετε
3 And if any man shall say to you, What are you doing? say ye that the Lord hath need of him: and immediately he will let him come hither. et si quis vobis dixerit quid facitis dicite quia Domino necessarius est et continuo illum dimittet huc και εαν τις υμιν ειπη τι ποιειτε τουτο ειπατε οτι ο κυριος αυτου χρειαν εχει και ευθεως αυτον αποστελει ωδε
4 And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him. et abeuntes invenerunt pullum ligatum ante ianuam foris in bivio et solvunt eum απηλθον δε και ευρον τον πωλον δεδεμενον προς την θυραν εξω επι του αμφοδου και λυουσιν αυτον
5 And some of them that stood there, said to them: What do you loosing the colt? et quidam de illic stantibus dicebant illis quid facitis solventes pullum και τινες των εκει εστηκοτων ελεγον αυτοις τι ποιειτε λυοντες τον πωλον
6 Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them; and they let him go with them. qui dixerunt eis sicut praeceperat illis Iesus et dimiserunt eis οι δε ειπον αυτοις καθως ενετειλατο ο ιησους και αφηκαν αυτους
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus; and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him. et duxerunt pullum ad Iesum et inponunt illi vestimenta sua et sedit super eo και ηγαγον τον πωλον προς τον ιησουν και επεβαλον αυτω τα ιματια αυτων και εκαθισεν επ αυτω
8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way. multi autem vestimenta sua straverunt in via alii autem frondes caedebant de arboribus et sternebant in via πολλοι δε τα ιματια αυτων εστρωσαν εις την οδον αλλοι δε στοιβαδας εκοπτον εκ των δενδρων και εστρωννυον εις την οδον
9 And they that went before and they that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. et qui praeibant et qui sequebantur clamabant dicentes osanna benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini και οι προαγοντες και οι ακολουθουντες εκραζον λεγοντες ωσαννα ευλογημενος ο ερχομενος εν ονοματι κυριου
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh: Hosanna in the highest. benedictum quod venit regnum patris nostri David osanna in excelsis ευλογημενη η ερχομενη βασιλεια εν ονοματι κυριου του πατρος ημων δαβιδ ωσαννα εν τοις υψιστοις

32 posted on 03/29/2015 9:15:54 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
1. And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sends forth two of his disciples,
2. And said to them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as you be entered into it, you shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3. And if any man say to you, Why do you this? say you that the Lord has need of him; and straight-way he will send him hither.
4. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
5. And certain of them that stood there said to them, What do you, loosing the colt?
6. And they said to them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
7. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
8. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strewed them in the way.
9. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord:
10. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that comes in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

CHRYS. Now that the Lord had given sufficient proof of His virtue, and the cross was at hand, even at the door, He did those things which were about to excite them against Him with a greater openness; therefore although He had so often gone up to Jerusalem, He never however had done so in such a conspicuous manner as now.

THEOPHYL. That thus, if they were willing, they might recognize His glory, and by the prophecies, which were fulfilled concerning Him, know that He is very God; and that if they would not, they might receive a greater judgment, for not having believed so many wonderful miracles. Describing therefore this illustrious entrance, the Evangelist says, And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sends forth two of his disciples.

BEDE; Bethany is a little village or town by the side of mount Olivet, where Lazarus was raised from the dead. But in what way He sent His disciples and for what purpose is shown in these words, And said to them, Go your way into the village over against you.

THEOPHYL. Now consider how many things the Lord foretold to His disciples, that they should find a colt; wherefore it goes on, And as soon as you be entered into it, you shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat, loose him, and bring him; and that they should be impeded in taking it,

wherefore there follows, And if any man say to you, Why do you this? say you, The Lord has need of him; and that on saying this, they should be allowed to take him; wherefore it follows, And straightway he will send him hither; and as the Lord had said, it was fulfilled.

Thus it goes on; And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door it without, in a place where two ways meet; and they loose him

AUG. Matthew says, an ass and a colt, the rest however do not mention the ass. Where then both may be the case, there is no disagreement, though one Evangelist mentions one thing, and a second mentions another; how much less should a question be raised, when one mentions one, and another mentions that same one and another. It goes on: And certain of them that stood there said to them, What do you, loosing, the colt?

And they said to them even as Jesus had commanded, and they let them take it, that is, the colt.

THEOPHYL. But they would not have allowed this, if the Divine power had not been upon them, to compel them, especially, as they were country people and farmers, and yet allowed them to take away the colt. It goes on: And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments out on him; and he sat upon him.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Not indeed that He was compelled by necessity to ride on a colt from the mount of Olives to Jerusalem, for He had gone over Judea and all Galilee on foot, but this action of His is typical. It goes on: And many spread their garments in the way: that is under the feet of the colt; and others cut down branches off the trees, and strewed them in the way. This, however, was rather done to honor Him, and is a Sacrament, than of necessity. It goes on:

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. For the multitude, until it was corrupted, knew what was its duty, for which reason each honored Jesus according to his own strength. Wherefore they praised Him and took up the hymns of the Levites, saying, Hosanna, which according to some is the same as save me, but according to others means a layman, however suppose the former to be more probable, for there is in the 117th Psalm, Save now, I beseech you, O Lord, which in the Hebrew is Hosanna.

BEDE, But Hosanna is a Hebrew word, made out of two, one imperfect the other perfect. For save, or preserve, is in their language, hosy; but anna is a supplicatory interjection, as in Latin heu is an exclamation of grief.

PSEUDO-JEROME; They cry out Hosanna, that is save us, that man might be saved by Him who was blessed and was a conqueror and came in the name of the Lord, that is, of His Father, since the Father is so called because of the Son, and the Son, because of the Father.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Thus then they give glory to God, saying, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. They also bless the kingdom of Christ, saying, Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, which comes.

THEOPHYL. But they called the kingdom of Christ, that of David, both because Christ was descended from the seed of David, and because David means man of a strong hand. For whose hand is stronger than the Lord's, by which so many and so great miracles were wrought.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Wherefore also the prophets so often call Christ by the name of David, on account of the descent according to the flesh of Christ from David.

BEDE; Now we read in the Gospel of John that He fled into a mountain, lest they should make him their king. Now, however, when He comes to Jerusalem to suffer, He does not shun those who call Him king, that He might openly teach them that He was King over an empire not temporal and earthly, but everlasting in the heavens, and that the path to this kingdom was through contempt of death. Observe also the agreement of the multitude with the saying of Gabriel, The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; that is, that He Himself may call by word and deed to a heavenly kingdom the nation to which David once furnished the government of a temporal rule.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. And further, they give glory to God, when they add Hosanna in the highest, that is, praise and glory be to the God of all, Who is in the highest.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Or Hosanna, that is, save in the highest as well as in the lowest, that is, that the just be built on the ruin of Angels, and also that both those on the earth and those under the earth should be saved. In a mystical sense, also, the Lord approaches Jerusalem, which is 'the vision of peace,' which happiness remains fixed and unmoved, being, as the Apostle says, the mother of all believers.

BEDE; Bethany again means the house of obedience, because by teaching many before His Passion, he made for Himself a house of obedience; and it is said to be placed on the mount of Olives, because He cherishes His Church with the unction of spiritual gifts, and with the light of piety and knowledge. But He sent His disciples to a hold, which was over against them, that is, He appointed doctors to penetrate into the ignorant parts of the whole world, into, as it were, the walls of the hold placed against them.

PSEUDO-JEROME; The disciples of Christ are called two by two, and sent two by two, since charity implies more than one, as it is written, Woe to him that is alone. Two persons head the Israelites out of Egypt: two bring down the bunch of grapes from the Holy Land, that men in authority might ever join together activity and knowledge, and bring forward two commandments from the Two Tables, and he washed from two fountains, and carry the ark of the Lord on two poles, and know the Lord between the two Cherubim, and sing to Him with both mind and spirit.

THEOPHYL. The colt, however, was not necessary to Him, but He sent for it to show that He would transfer Himself to the Gentiles.

BEDE, For the colt of the ass, wanton and unshackled denotes the people of the nations, on whom no man had yet sat because no wise doctor had, by teaching them the things of salvation put upon them the bridle of correction, to oblige them to restrain their tongues from evil, or to compel them into the narrow path of life.

PSEUDO-JEROME. But they found the colt tied by the door with out , because the Gentile people were bound by the chain of their sins before the door of faith that is, without the Church.

AMBROSE; Or else they found it bound before the door, because whosoever is not in Christ is without, in the way; but he who is in Christ is not without. He has added in the way, or in a place where two ways meet, where there is no certain possession for any in man, nor stall, no food, nor stable; miserable is his service, whose rights are unfixed, for he who has not the one Master, has many. Strangers bind him that they may possess him, Christ looses him in order to keep him, for He knows that gifts are stronger ties than bonds.

BEDE; Or else, fitly did the colt stand in a place where two ways meet, because the Gentile people did not hold on in any certain road of life and faith, but followed in its error many doubtful paths of various sects.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Or, in a place where two roads meet, that is , in the freedom of which, hesitating between life and death.

THEOPHYL. Or else, in a place where two roads meet, that is, in this life, but it was loosed by the disciples, through faith and baptism.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But some said, What do you? as if they would say, Whom can remit sins?

THEOPHYL. Or else, those who prevent them are the devils who were weaker than the Apostles.

BEDE; Or else, the masters of terror, who resisted the teachers, when they came to save the Gentiles; but after that the power of the faith of the Lord appeared to believers, the faithful people were freed from the cavils of the adversaries, and were brought to the Lord, whom they bore in their hearts. But by the garments of the Apostles, which they put upon it, we may understand the teaching of virtues, or the interpretation of the Scriptures, or the various doctrines of the Church, by which they clothe the hearts, of men, once naked and cold and fit them to become the seats of Christ.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Or else, they put upon it their garments, that is, they bring to them the first robe of immortality by the Sacrament of Baptism. And Jesus sat upon it, that is, began to reign in them, so that sin should not reign in their own flesh, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Again, many spread their garments in the way, under the feet of the foal of the ass. What are feet, but those who carry, and the least esteemed, whom the Apostle has set to judge? And these too, though they are not the back on which the Lord sat, yet are instructed by John with the soldiers.

BEDE; Or else, many strew their garments in the way, because the Holy martyrs put off from themselves the garment of their own blood, and prepare a way for the more simple servants of God with their own blood. Many also strew their garments in the way, because they tame their bodies with abstinence, that they may prepare a way for God to the mount, or may give good examples to those who follow them. And they cut down branches from the trees, who in the teaching of the truth cull the sentences of the Fathers from their words, and by their lowly preaching scatter them in the patio of God, when He comes into the soul of the hearer.

THEOPHYL. Let us also strew the way of our life with branches which we cut from the trees, that is, imitate the saints, for these are holy trees, from which, he who imitates their virtues cuts down branches.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For the righteous shall flourish as a palm tree, straitened in their roots, but spreading out wide with flowers and fruits; for they are a good odor to Christ, and strew the way of the commandments of God with their good report. Those who went before are the prophets, and those who followed are the Apostles.

BEDE; And because all the elect, whether those who were able to become such in Judea, or those who now are such in time Church, believed and now believe in the Mediator between God and man, both those who go before and those who follow cried out Hosanna.

THEOPHYL; But both those of our deeds which go before and those which follow after must be done to the glory of God; for some in their past life make a good beginning, hut their following life does not correspond with their former, neither does it end to the glory of God.

Catena Aurea Mark 11
33 posted on 03/29/2015 9:16:21 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex


Entry into Jerusalem

Duccio di Buoninsegna

1308-11
Tempera on wood, 100 x 57 cm
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena

34 posted on 03/29/2015 9:16:50 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: Salvation
John
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  John 12
12 And on the next day, a great multitude that was to come to the festival day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, in crastinum autem turba multa quae venerat ad diem festum cum audissent quia venit Iesus Hierosolyma τη επαυριον οχλος πολυς ο ελθων εις την εορτην ακουσαντες οτι ερχεται ο ιησους εις ιεροσολυμα
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel. acceperunt ramos palmarum et processerunt obviam ei et clamabant osanna benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini rex Israhel ελαβον τα βαια των φοινικων και εξηλθον εις υπαντησιν αυτω και εκραζον ωσαννα ευλογημενος ο ερχομενος εν ονοματι κυριου ο βασιλευς του ισραηλ
14 And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it is written: et invenit Iesus asellum et sedit super eum sicut scriptum est ευρων δε ο ιησους οναριον εκαθισεν επ αυτο καθως εστιν γεγραμμενον
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy king cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. noli timere filia Sion ecce rex tuus venit sedens super pullum asinae μη φοβου θυγατερ σιων ιδου ο βασιλευς σου ερχεται καθημενος επι πωλον ονου
16 These things his disciples did not know at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things to him. haec non cognoverunt discipuli eius primum sed quando glorificatus est Iesus tunc recordati sunt quia haec erant scripta de eo et haec fecerunt ei ταυτα δε ουκ εγνωσαν οι μαθηται αυτου το πρωτον αλλ οτε εδοξασθη ο ιησους τοτε εμνησθησαν οτι ταυτα ην επ αυτω γεγραμμενα και ταυτα εποιησαν αυτω

35 posted on 03/29/2015 9:18:03 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
12. On the next day many people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13. Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord.
14. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15. Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, your King comes, sitting on an ass's colt.
16. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things to him.

CHRYS. The Law enjoined, that on the tenth day of the first month a lamb or a kid should be shut up in the house, and be kept to the fourteenth day of the same month, on the evening of which day it was sacrificed. In accordance with this law, the Elect Lamb, the Lamb without spot, when He went up to Jerusalem to be immolated for the sanctification of the people, went up five days before, i.e. on the tenth day.

AUG. See how great was the fruit of His preaching and how large a flock of the lost sheep of the house of Israel heard the voice of their Shepherd: On the next day many people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees. The branches of palms are songs of praise, for the victory which our Lord was about to obtain by His death over death, and His triumph over the devil, the prince of death, by the trophy of the cross.

CHRYS. They showed now at last that they thought Him greater than a prophet: And went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel, that comes in the name of the Lord.

AUG. Hosanna is a simple exclamation, rather indicating some excitement of the mind, than having any particular meaning; like many interjections that we have in Latin.

BEDE. It is a compound of two words; Hosi is shortened into save; Anna a mere exclamation, complete. Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord here is the name of God the Father; though we may understand it as His own name; inasmuch as He also is the Lord. But the former sense agrees better with the text above, I am come in My Father's name. He does not lose His divinity, when He teaches us humility.

CHRYS. This is what more than anything made men believe in Christ, viz. the assurance, that He was not opposed to God, that He came from the Father. The words show us the divinity of Christ. Hosanna is, Save us; and salvation in Scripture is attributed to God alone. And comes, it is said, not is brought: the former befits a lord, the latter a servant. In the name of the Lord, goes to prove the same thing. He does not come in the name of a servant, but in the name of the Lord.

AUG. It were a small thing to the King eternal to be made a human king. Christ was not the King of Israel, to exact tribute, and command armies, but to direct souls, and bring them to the kingdom of heaven. For Christ then to be King of Israel, w as a condescension, not an elevation, a sign of His pity, not an increase of His power. For He who was as called on earth the King of the Jews, is in heaven the King of Angels.

THEOPHYL. The Jews, when they called Him King of Israel, dreamed of an earthly king. They expected a king to arise, of more than human greatness, who would deliver them from the government of the Romans. But how did our Lord come? The next words tell us; And Jesus when He had found a. young ass, sat thereon.

AUG. John relates the matter briefly, the other Evangelists are more full. The ass, we read in them, was the foal of an ass on which no man had sat: i.e. the Gentile world, who had not received our Lord. The other ass, which was brought, (not the foal, for there were two,) is the believing Jew.

CHRYS. He did this prophetically, to figure the unclean Gentiles being brought into subjection to the Gospel; and also as a fulfillment of prophecy.

AUG. This act of our Lord's is pointed to in the Prophets, though the malignant rulers of the Jews did not see in it any fulfillment of prophecy: As it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Sion, behold your King comes sitting on an ass's colt." Yea, in that nation though reprobate, though blind, there remained still the daughter of Sion; even Jerusalem. To her it is said, Fear not, acknowledge Him whom you praise, and tremble not when He suffers. That blood it is which shall wipe away your sins, and redeem your life

CHRYS. Or thus: Whereas they had had wicked kings, who had subjected them to wars, He said to them, Trust Me, I am not such as they, but gentle and mild: which He showed by the manner of His entrance. For He did not enter at the head of an army, but simply riding on an ass. And observe the philosophy of the Evangelist, who is not ashamed of confessing his ignorance at the time of what these things meant:

These things understood not the disciple at the first, but when Jesus was glorified.

AUG. i.e. When He showed the power of His resurrection, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him, i.e. those things that were written of Him.

CHRYS. Our Lord had not then revealed these things to them. Indeed it would have been a scandal to them had they known Him to be King at the time of His sufferings. Nor would they have understood the nature of His kingdom, but have mistaken it for a temporal one.

Catena Aurea John 12
36 posted on 03/29/2015 9:18:33 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex


Entry into Jerusalem

Giotto di Bondone

1304-06
Fresco, 200 x 185 cm
Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua

37 posted on 03/29/2015 9:21:00 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: Salvation
Mark
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  Mark 14
1 Now the feast of the pasch, and of the Azymes was after two days; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hold on him, and kill him. erat autem pascha et azyma post biduum et quaerebant summi sacerdotes et scribae quomodo eum dolo tenerent et occiderent ην δε το πασχα και τα αζυμα μετα δυο ημερας και εζητουν οι αρχιερεις και οι γραμματεις πως αυτον εν δολω κρατησαντες αποκτεινωσιν
2 But they said: Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people. dicebant enim non in die festo ne forte tumultus fieret populi ελεγον δε μη εν τη εορτη μηποτε θορυβος εσται του λαου
3 And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box, she poured it out upon his head. et cum esset Bethaniae in domo Simonis leprosi et recumberet venit mulier habens alabastrum unguenti nardi spicati pretiosi et fracto alabastro effudit super caput eius και οντος αυτου εν βηθανια εν τη οικια σιμωνος του λεπρου κατακειμενου αυτου ηλθεν γυνη εχουσα αλαβαστρον μυρου ναρδου πιστικης πολυτελους και συντριψασα το αλαβαστρον κατεχεεν αυτου κατα της κεφαλης
4 Now there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the ointment made? erant autem quidam indigne ferentes intra semet ipsos et dicentes ut quid perditio ista unguenti facta est ησαν δε τινες αγανακτουντες προς εαυτους και λεγοντες εις τι η απωλεια αυτη του μυρου γεγονεν
5 For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. poterat enim unguentum istud veniri plus quam trecentis denariis et dari pauperibus et fremebant in eam ηδυνατο γαρ τουτο πραθηναι επανω τριακοσιων δηναριων και δοθηναι τοις πτωχοις και ενεβριμωντο αυτη
6 But Jesus said: Let her alone, why do you molest her? She hath wrought a good work upon me. Iesus autem dixit sinite eam quid illi molesti estis bonum opus operata est in me ο δε ιησους ειπεν αφετε αυτην τι αυτη κοπους παρεχετε καλον εργον ειργασατο εις εμε
7 For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always. semper enim pauperes habetis vobiscum et cum volueritis potestis illis benefacere me autem non semper habetis παντοτε γαρ τους πτωχους εχετε μεθ εαυτων και οταν θελητε δυνασθε αυτους ευ ποιησαι εμε δε ου παντοτε εχετε
8 She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body for burial. quod habuit haec fecit praevenit unguere corpus meum in sepulturam ο ειχεν αυτη εποιησεν προελαβεν μυρισαι μου το σωμα εις τον ενταφιασμον
9 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 memorial of her. amen dico vobis ubicumque praedicatum fuerit evangelium istud in universum mundum et quod fecit haec narrabitur in memoriam eius αμην λεγω υμιν οπου αν κηρυχθη το ευαγγελιον τουτο εις ολον τον κοσμον και ο εποιησεν αυτη λαληθησεται εις μνημοσυνον αυτης
10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them. et Iudas Scariotis unus de duodecim abiit ad summos sacerdotes ut proderet eum illis και ο ιουδας ο ισκαριωτης εις των δωδεκα απηλθεν προς τους αρχιερεις ινα παραδω αυτον αυτοις
11 Who hearing it were glad; and they promised him they would give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. qui audientes gavisi sunt et promiserunt ei pecuniam se daturos et quaerebat quomodo illum oportune traderet οι δε ακουσαντες εχαρησαν και επηγγειλαντο αυτω αργυριον δουναι και εζητει πως ευκαιρως αυτον παραδω
12 Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pasch, the disciples say to him: Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the pasch? et primo die azymorum quando pascha immolabant dicunt ei discipuli quo vis eamus et paremus tibi ut manduces pascha και τη πρωτη ημερα των αζυμων οτε το πασχα εθυον λεγουσιν αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου που θελεις απελθοντες ετοιμασωμεν ινα φαγης το πασχα
13 And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith to them: Go ye into the city; and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him; et mittit duos ex discipulis suis et dicit eis ite in civitatem et occurret vobis homo laguenam aquae baiulans sequimini eum και αποστελλει δυο των μαθητων αυτου και λεγει αυτοις υπαγετε εις την πολιν και απαντησει υμιν ανθρωπος κεραμιον υδατος βασταζων ακολουθησατε αυτω
14 And whithersoever he shall go in, say to the master of the house, The master saith, Where is my refectory, where I may eat the pasch with my disciples? et quocumque introierit dicite domino domus quia magister dicit ubi est refectio mea ubi pascha cum discipulis meis manducem και οπου εαν εισελθη ειπατε τω οικοδεσποτη οτι ο διδασκαλος λεγει που εστιν το καταλυμα οπου το πασχα μετα των μαθητων μου φαγω
15 And he will shew you a large dining room furnished; and there prepare ye for us. et ipse vobis demonstrabit cenaculum grande stratum et illic parate nobis και αυτος υμιν δειξει ανωγεον μεγα εστρωμενον ετοιμον εκει ετοιμασατε ημιν
16 And his disciples went their way, and came into the city; and they found as he had told them, and they prepared the pasch. et abierunt discipuli eius et venerunt in civitatem et invenerunt sicut dixerat illis et praeparaverunt pascha και εξηλθον οι μαθηται αυτου και ηλθον εις την πολιν και ευρον καθως ειπεν αυτοις και ητοιμασαν το πασχα
17 And when evening was come, he cometh with the twelve. vespere autem facto venit cum duodecim και οψιας γενομενης ερχεται μετα των δωδεκα
18 And when they were at table and eating, Jesus saith: Amen I say to you, one of you that eateth with me shall betray me. et discumbentibus eis et manducantibus ait Iesus amen dico vobis quia unus ex vobis me tradet qui manducat mecum και ανακειμενων αυτων και εσθιοντων ειπεν ο ιησους αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εις εξ υμων παραδωσει με ο εσθιων μετ εμου
19 But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one: Is it I? at illi coeperunt contristari et dicere ei singillatim numquid ego οι δε ηρξαντο λυπεισθαι και λεγειν αυτω εις καθ εις μητι εγω και αλλος μητι εγω
20 Who saith to them: One of the twelve, who dippeth with me his hand in the dish. qui ait illis unus ex duodecim qui intinguit mecum in catino ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις εις εκ των δωδεκα ο εμβαπτομενος μετ εμου εις το τρυβλιον
21 And 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. et Filius quidem hominis vadit sicut scriptum est de eo vae autem homini illi per quem Filius hominis traditur bonum ei si non esset natus homo ille ο μεν υιος του ανθρωπου υπαγει καθως γεγραπται περι αυτου ουαι δε τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου ο υιος του ανθρωπου παραδιδοται καλον ην αυτω ει ουκ εγεννηθη ο ανθρωπος εκεινος
22 And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. et manducantibus illis accepit Iesus panem et benedicens fregit et dedit eis et ait sumite hoc est corpus meum και εσθιοντων αυτων λαβων ο ιησους αρτον ευλογησας εκλασεν και εδωκεν αυτοις και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο εστιν το σωμα μου
23 And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. et accepto calice gratias agens dedit eis et biberunt ex illo omnes και λαβων το ποτηριον ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αυτοις και επιον εξ αυτου παντες
24 And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many. et ait illis hic est sanguis meus novi testamenti qui pro multis effunditur και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον
25 Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God. amen dico vobis quod iam non bibam de genimine vitis usque in diem illum cum illud bibam novum in regno Dei αμην λεγω υμιν οτι ουκετι ου μη πιω εκ του γεννηματος της αμπελου εως της ημερας εκεινης οταν αυτο πινω καινον εν τη βασιλεια του θεου
26 And when they had said an hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives. et hymno dicto exierunt in montem Olivarum και υμνησαντες εξηλθον εις το ορος των ελαιων
27 And Jesus saith to them: You will all be scandalized in my regard this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed. et ait eis Iesus omnes scandalizabimini in nocte ista quia scriptum est percutiam pastorem et dispergentur oves και λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους οτι παντες σκανδαλισθησεσθε εν εμοι εν τη νυκτι ταυτη οτι γεγραπται παταξω τον ποιμενα και διασκορπισθησεται τα προβατα
28 But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. sed posteaquam resurrexero praecedam vos in Galilaeam αλλα μετα το εγερθηναι με προαξω υμας εις την γαλιλαιαν
29 But Peter saith to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, yet not I. Petrus autem ait ei et si omnes scandalizati fuerint sed non ego ο δε πετρος εφη αυτω και ει παντες σκανδαλισθησονται αλλ ουκ εγω
30 And Jesus saith to him: Amen I say to thee, today, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shall deny me thrice. et ait illi Iesus amen dico tibi quia tu hodie in nocte hac priusquam bis gallus vocem dederit ter me es negaturus και λεγει αυτω ο ιησους αμην λεγω σοι οτι σημερον εν τη νυκτι ταυτη πριν η δις αλεκτορα φωνησαι τρις απαρνηση με
31 But he spoke the more vehemently: Although I should die together with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner also said they all. at ille amplius loquebatur et si oportuerit me simul conmori tibi non te negabo similiter autem et omnes dicebant ο δε εκ περισσου ελεγεν μαλλον εαν με δεη συναποθανειν σοι ου μη σε απαρνησομαι ωσαυτως δε και παντες ελεγον
32 And they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And he saith to his disciples: Sit you here, while I pray. et veniunt in praedium cui nomen Gethsemani et ait discipulis suis sedete hic donec orem και ερχονται εις χωριον ου το ονομα γεθσημανη και λεγει τοις μαθηταις αυτου καθισατε ωδε εως προσευξωμαι
33 And he taketh Peter and James and John with him; and he began to fear and to be heavy. et adsumit Petrum et Iacobum et Iohannem secum et coepit pavere et taedere και παραλαμβανει τον πετρον και τον ιακωβον και ιωαννην μεθ εαυτου και ηρξατο εκθαμβεισθαι και αδημονειν
34 And he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you here, and watch. et ait illis tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem sustinete hic et vigilate και λεγει αυτοις περιλυπος εστιν η ψυχη μου εως θανατου μεινατε ωδε και γρηγορειτε
35 And when he was gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground; and he prayed, that if it might be, the hour might pass from him. et cum processisset paululum procidit super terram et orabat ut si fieri posset transiret ab eo hora και προελθων μικρον επεσεν επι της γης και προσηυχετο ινα ει δυνατον εστιν παρελθη απ αυτου η ωρα
36 And he saith: Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt. et dixit Abba Pater omnia possibilia tibi sunt transfer calicem hunc a me sed non quod ego volo sed quod tu και ελεγεν αββα ο πατηρ παντα δυνατα σοι παρενεγκε το ποτηριον απ εμου τουτο αλλ ου τι εγω θελω αλλα τι συ
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter: Simon, sleepest thou? couldst thou not watch one hour? et venit et invenit eos dormientes et ait Petro Simon dormis non potuisti una hora vigilare και ερχεται και ευρισκει αυτους καθευδοντας και λεγει τω πετρω σιμων καθευδεις ουκ ισχυσας μιαν ωραν γρηγορησαι
38 Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. vigilate et orate ut non intretis in temptationem spiritus quidem promptus caro vero infirma γρηγορειτε και προσευχεσθε ινα μη εισελθητε εις πειρασμον το μεν πνευμα προθυμον η δε σαρξ ασθενης
39 And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. et iterum abiens oravit eundem sermonem dicens και παλιν απελθων προσηυξατο τον αυτον λογον ειπων
40 And when he returned, he found them again asleep, (for their eyes were heavy,) and they knew not what to answer him. et reversus denuo invenit eos dormientes erant enim oculi illorum ingravati et ignorabant quid responderent ei και υποστρεψας ευρεν αυτους παλιν καθευδοντας ησαν γαρ οι οφθαλμοι αυτων βεβαρημενοι και ουκ ηδεισαν τι αυτω αποκριθωσιν
41 And he cometh the third time, and saith to them: Sleep ye now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. et venit tertio et ait illis dormite iam et requiescite sufficit venit hora ecce traditur Filius hominis in manus peccatorum και ερχεται το τριτον και λεγει αυτοις καθευδετε το λοιπον και αναπαυεσθε απεχει ηλθεν η ωρα ιδου παραδιδοται ο υιος του ανθρωπου εις τας χειρας των αμαρτωλων
42 Rise up, let us go. Behold, he that will betray me is at hand. surgite eamus ecce qui me tradit prope est εγειρεσθε αγωμεν ιδου ο παραδιδους με ηγγικεν
43 And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. et adhuc eo loquente venit Iudas Scarioth unus ex duodecim et cum illo turba cum gladiis et lignis a summis sacerdotibus et a scribis et a senioribus και ευθεως ετι αυτου λαλουντος παραγινεται ιουδας εις ων των δωδεκα και μετ αυτου οχλος πολυς μετα μαχαιρων και ξυλων παρα των αρχιερεων και των γραμματεων και των πρεσβυτερων
44 And he that betrayed him, had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; lay hold on him, and lead him away carefully. dederat autem traditor eius signum eis dicens quemcumque osculatus fuero ipse est tenete eum et ducite δεδωκει δε ο παραδιδους αυτον συσσημον αυτοις λεγων ον αν φιλησω αυτος εστιν κρατησατε αυτον και απαγαγετε ασφαλως
45 And when he was come, immediately going up to him, he saith: Hail, Rabbi; and he kissed him. et cum venisset statim accedens ad eum ait rabbi et osculatus est eum και ελθων ευθεως προσελθων αυτω λεγει ραββι ραββι και κατεφιλησεν αυτον
46 But they laid hands on him, and held him. at illi manus iniecerunt in eum et tenuerunt eum οι δε επεβαλον επ αυτον τας χειρας αυτων και εκρατησαν αυτον
47 And one of them that stood by, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest, and cut off his ear. unus autem quidam de circumstantibus educens gladium percussit servum summi sacerdotis et amputavit illi auriculam εις δε τις των παρεστηκοτων σπασαμενος την μαχαιραν επαισεν τον δουλον του αρχιερεως και αφειλεν αυτου το ωτιον
48 And Jesus answering, said to them: Are you come out as to a robber, with swords and staves to apprehend me? et respondens Iesus ait illis tamquam ad latronem existis cum gladiis et lignis conprehendere me και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ως επι ληστην εξηλθετε μετα μαχαιρων και ξυλων συλλαβειν με
49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on me. But that the scriptures may be fulfilled. cotidie eram apud vos in templo docens et non me tenuistis sed ut adimpleantur scripturae καθ ημεραν ημην προς υμας εν τω ιερω διδασκων και ουκ εκρατησατε με αλλ ινα πληρωθωσιν αι γραφαι
50 Then his disciples leaving him, all fled away. tunc discipuli eius relinquentes eum omnes fugerunt και αφεντες αυτον παντες εφυγον
51 And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and they laid hold on him. adulescens autem quidam sequebatur illum amictus sindone super nudo et tenuerunt eum και εις τις νεανισκος ηκολουθει αυτω περιβεβλημενος σινδονα επι γυμνου και κρατουσιν αυτον οι νεανισκοι
52 But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked. at ille reiecta sindone nudus profugit ab eis ο δε καταλιπων την σινδονα γυμνος εφυγεν απ αυτων
53 And they brought Jesus to the high priest; and all the priests and the scribes and the ancients assembled together. et adduxerunt Iesum ad summum sacerdotem et conveniunt omnes sacerdotes et scribae et seniores και απηγαγον τον ιησουν προς τον αρχιερεα και συνερχονται αυτω παντες οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι και οι γραμματεις
54 And Peter followed him from afar off, even into the court of the high priest; and he sat with the servants at the fire, and warmed himself. Petrus autem a longe secutus est eum usque intro in atrium summi sacerdotis et sedebat cum ministris et calefaciebat se ad ignem και ο πετρος απο μακροθεν ηκολουθησεν αυτω εως εσω εις την αυλην του αρχιερεως και ην συγκαθημενος μετα των υπηρετων και θερμαινομενος προς το φως
55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death, and found none. summi vero sacerdotes et omne concilium quaerebant adversum Iesum testimonium ut eum morti traderent nec inveniebant οι δε αρχιερεις και ολον το συνεδριον εζητουν κατα του ιησου μαρτυριαν εις το θανατωσαι αυτον και ουχ ευρισκον
56 For many bore false witness against him, and their evidences were not agreeing. multi enim testimonium falsum dicebant adversus eum et convenientia testimonia non erant πολλοι γαρ εψευδομαρτυρουν κατ αυτου και ισαι αι μαρτυριαι ουκ ησαν
57 And some rising up, bore false witness against him, saying: et quidam surgentes falsum testimonium ferebant adversus eum dicentes και τινες ανασταντες εψευδομαρτυρουν κατ αυτου λεγοντες
58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands. quoniam nos audivimus eum dicentem ego dissolvam templum hoc manufactum et per triduum aliud non manufactum aedificabo οτι ημεις ηκουσαμεν αυτου λεγοντος οτι εγω καταλυσω τον ναον τουτον τον χειροποιητον και δια τριων ημερων αλλον αχειροποιητον οικοδομησω
59 And their witness did not agree. et non erat conveniens testimonium illorum και ουδε ουτως ιση ην η μαρτυρια αυτων
60 And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying: Answerest thou nothing to the things that are laid to thy charge by these men? et exsurgens summus sacerdos in medium interrogavit Iesum dicens non respondes quicquam ad ea quae tibi obiciuntur ab his και αναστας ο αρχιερευς εις το μεσον επηρωτησεν τον ιησουν λεγων ουκ αποκρινη ουδεν τι ουτοι σου καταμαρτυρουσιν
61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him: Art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed God? ille autem tacebat et nihil respondit rursum summus sacerdos interrogabat eum et dicit ei tu es Christus Filius Benedicti ο δε εσιωπα και ουδεν απεκρινατο παλιν ο αρχιερευς επηρωτα αυτον και λεγει αυτω συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του ευλογητου
62 And Jesus said to him: I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Iesus autem dixit illi ego sum et videbitis Filium hominis a dextris sedentem Virtutis et venientem cum nubibus caeli ο δε ιησους ειπεν εγω ειμι και οψεσθε τον υιον του ανθρωπου καθημενον εκ δεξιων της δυναμεως και ερχομενον μετα των νεφελων του ουρανου
63 Then the high priest rending his garments, saith: What need we any further witnesses? summus autem sacerdos scindens vestimenta sua ait quid adhuc desideramus testes ο δε αρχιερευς διαρρηξας τους χιτωνας αυτου λεγει τι ετι χρειαν εχομεν μαρτυρων
64 You have heard the blasphemy. What think you? Who all condemned him to be guilty of death. audistis blasphemiam quid vobis videtur qui omnes condemnaverunt eum esse reum mortis ηκουσατε της βλασφημιας τι υμιν φαινεται οι δε παντες κατεκριναν αυτον ειναι ενοχον θανατου
65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him: Prophesy: and the servants struck him with the palms of their hands. et coeperunt quidam conspuere eum et velare faciem eius et colaphis eum caedere et dicere ei prophetiza et ministri alapis eum caedebant και ηρξαντο τινες εμπτυειν αυτω και περικαλυπτειν το προσωπον αυτου και κολαφιζειν αυτον και λεγειν αυτω προφητευσον και οι υπηρεται ραπισμασιν αυτον εβαλλον
66 Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. et cum esset Petrus in atrio deorsum venit una ex ancillis summi sacerdotis και οντος του πετρου εν τη αυλη κατω ερχεται μια των παιδισκων του αρχιερεως
67 And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. et cum vidisset Petrum calefacientem se aspiciens illum ait et tu cum Iesu Nazareno eras και ιδουσα τον πετρον θερμαινομενον εμβλεψασα αυτω λεγει και συ μετα του ναζαρηνου ιησου ησθα
68 But he denied, saying: I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew. at ille negavit dicens neque scio neque novi quid dicas et exiit foras ante atrium et gallus cantavit ο δε ηρνησατο λεγων ουκ οιδα ουδε επισταμαι τι συ λεγεις και εξηλθεν εξω εις το προαυλιον και αλεκτωρ εφωνησεν
69 And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: This is one of them. rursus autem cum vidisset illum ancilla coepit dicere circumstantibus quia hic ex illis est και η παιδισκη ιδουσα αυτον παλιν ηρξατο λεγειν τοις παρεστηκοσιν οτι ουτος εξ αυτων εστιν
70 But he denied again. And after a while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean. at ille iterum negavit et post pusillum rursus qui adstabant dicebant Petro vere ex illis es nam et Galilaeus es ο δε παλιν ηρνειτο και μετα μικρον παλιν οι παρεστωτες ελεγον τω πετρω αληθως εξ αυτων ει και γαρ γαλιλαιος ει και η λαλια σου ομοιαζει
71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying; I know not this man of whom you speak. ille autem coepit anathematizare et iurare quia nescio hominem istum quem dicitis ο δε ηρξατο αναθεματιζειν και ομνυειν οτι ουκ οιδα τον ανθρωπον τουτον ον λεγετε
72 And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. And he began to weep. et statim iterum gallus cantavit et recordatus est Petrus verbi quod dixerat ei Iesus priusquam gallus cantet bis ter me negabis et coepit flere και εκ δευτερου αλεκτωρ εφωνησεν και ανεμνησθη ο πετρος του ρηματος ου ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους οτι πριν αλεκτορα φωνησαι δις απαρνηση με τρις και επιβαλων εκλαιεν

38 posted on 03/29/2015 9:22:28 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
1. After two days was the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread: and the Chief Priests and the Scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Let us now sprinkle our book, and our thresholds with blood, and put the scarlet thread around the house of our prayers, and bind scarlet on our hand, as was done to Zarah, that we may be able to say that the red heifer is slain in the valley. For the Evangelist, being about to speak of the slaying of Christ, premises, After two days was; the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread.

BEDE; Pascha which in Hebrew is phase, is not called from, Passion, as many think, but from passing over, because the destroyer, seeing the blood on the doors of the Israelites, passed by them, and did not smite them; or the Lord Himself, bringing aid to His people, walked above them.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Or else phase is interpreted a passing over, but Pascha means sacrifice. In the sacrifice of the lamb, and the passing of the people through the sea, or through Egypt, the Passion of Christ is prefigured, and the redemption of the people from hell, when He visits us after two days, that is, when the moon is most full, and the age of Christ is perfect, that when no part at all of it is dark, we may eat the flesh of the Lamb without spot, who takes away the sins of the world, in one house, that is, in the Catholic Church, shod with charity, and armed with virtue.

BEDE; The difference according to the Old Testament between the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread was, that the day alone on which the lamb was slain in the evening, that is, the fourteenth moon of the first month, was called Passover. But on the fifteenth moon, when they came out of Egypt, the feast of unleavened bread came on, which solemn time was appointed for seven days, that is, up to the twenty-first day of the same month in the evening. But the Evangelists indifferently use the day of unleavened bread for the Passover, and the Passover for the days of unleavened bread. Wherefore Mark also here says, After two days was the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread, because the day of the Passover was also ordered to be celebrated on the days of unleavened bread, and we also, as it were, keeping a continual passover, ought always to be passing out of this world.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But iniquity came forth in Babylon from the princes, who ought to have purified the temple and the vessels, and themselves according to the law, in order to eat the lamb. Wherefore there follows: And the Chief Priests and the Scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. Now when the head is slain, the whole body is rendered powerless, wherefore these wretched men slay the Head.

But they avoid the feast day, which indeed befits them, for what feasting can there be for them, who have lost life and mercy? Wherefore it goes on: But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

BEDE; Not indeed, as the words seem to imply, that they feared the uproar, but they were afraid lest He should be taken out of their hands by the aid of the people.

THEOPHYL. Nevertheless, Christ Himself had determined for Himself the day of His Passion; for He wished to be crucified on the Passover, because He was the true Passover.

3. And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head.
4. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5. For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble you her? she has wrought a good work on me.
7. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always.
8. She has done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9. Verily I say to you, Wherever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

BEDE; The Lord when about to suffer for the whole world, and to redeem all nations with His blood, dwells in Bethany, that is, in the house of obedience; wherefore it is said, And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For the fawn amongst the stags ever comes back to his couch, that is, the Son, obedient to the Father even to death, seeks for obedience from us.

BEDE; He says of Simon the leper, not because he remained still a leper at that time, but because having once been such, he was healed by our Savior; his former name is left, that the virtue of the Healer may be made manifest.

THEOPHYL. But although the four Evangelists record the anointing by a woman, there were two women and not one; one described by John, the sister of Lazarus; it was she who six days before the Passover anointed the feet of Jesus; another described by the other three Evangelists. Nay, if you examine, you will find three; for one is described by John, another by Luke, a third by the other two. For that one described by Luke is said to be a sinner and to have come to Jesus during the time of His preaching; but this other described by Matthew and Mark is said to have come at the time of the Passion, nor did she confess that she had been a sinner.

AUG. I however think that nothing else can be meant, but that the sinner who then came to the feet of Jesus was no other than the same Mary who did this twice; once, as Luke relates it, when coming for the first time with humility and tears she merited the remission of her sins. For John also relates this, when he began to speak of the raising of Lazarus before He came to Bethany, saying, It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. But what she again did at Bethany is another act, unrecorded by Luke, but mentioned in the same way by the other three Evangelists. In that therefore Matthew and Mark say that the head of the Lord was anointed by the woman, whilst John says the feet, we must understand that both the head and the feet were anointed by the woman. Unless because Mark has said that she broke the box in order to anoint His head, any one is so fond of caviling as to deny that, because the box was broken, any could remain to anoint the feet of the Lord. But a man of a more pious spirit w ill contend that it was not broken so as to pour out the whole, or else that the feet were anointed before it was broken, so that there remained in the unbroken box enough to anoint the head.

BEDE; Alabaster is a sort of white marble, veined with various colors which is often hollowed out for boxes of ointment, because it keeps things of that nature most uncorrupt. Nard is an aromatic shrub of a large and thick root, but short, black, and brittle; though unctuous, it smells like cypress, and has a sharp taste, and small and dense leaves. Its tops spread themselves out like ears of corn, therefore, its gift being double, perfumers make much of the spikes and the leaves of the nard. And this is what is meant by Mark, when he says spikenard very precious, that is, the ointment which Mary brought for the Lord was not made of the root of nerd, but even, what made it more precious, by the addition of the spikes and the leaves, the gratefulness of its smell and virtue was augmented.

THEOPHYL. Or as is said in Greek, of pistic nard, that is, faithful, because the ointment of the nard was made faithfully and without counterfeit.

AUG. It may appear to be a contradiction, that Matthew and Mark after mentioning two days and the Passover, add afterwards that Jesus was in Bethany, where that precious ointment is mentioned; whilst John, just before he speaks a of the anointing, says, that Jesus came into Bethany six days before the feast. But those persons who are troubled by this, are not aware that Matthew and Mark do not place that anointing in Bethany immediately after that two days of which he foretold, but by way of recapitulation at the time when there were yet six days to the Passover.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Again in a mystic sense, Simon the leper means the world, first infidel, and afterwards converted, and the woman with the alabaster box, means the faith of the Church, who says, My spikenard sends forth its smell. It is called pistic nard, that is, faithful, and precious. The house filled with the smell of it is heaven and earth; the broken alabaster box is carnal desire, which is broken at the Head, from which the whole body is framed together, whilst He was reclining, that is, humbling Himself, that the faith of the sinner might be able to reach Him, for she went up from the feet to the head, and down from the head to the feet by faith, that is, to Christ and to His members.

It goes on: And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this loss of the ointment? By the figure synecdoche, one is put for many, and many for one; for it is the lost Judas who finds loss in salvation; thus in the fruitful vine rises the snare of death. Under the cover of his avarice, however, the mystery of faith speaks; for our faith is bought for three hundred pence, in our ten senses, that is, our inward and outward senses which are again trebled by our body, soul, and spirit.

BEDE; And in that he says, And they murmured against her, we must not understand this to be spoken of the faithful Apostles, but rather of Judas mentioned in the plural.

THEOPHYL. Or else, it appears to be aptly implied that many disciples murmured against the woman, because they had often heard our Lord talking of alms. Judas, however, was indignant, but not with the same feeling, but on account of his love of money, and filthy gain; wherefore John also records him alone, as accusing the woman with a fraudulent intent. But he says, They murmured against her, meaning that they troubled her with reproaches, and hard words. Then our Lord reproves His disciples, for throwing obstacles against the wish of the woman.

Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus said, Let her alone, why trouble you her? For after she had brought her gift, they wished to prevent her purpose by their reproaches.

ORIGEN; For they were grieved at the waste of the ointment, which might be sold for a large sum and given to the poor. This however ought not to have been, for it was right that it should be poured over the head of Christ, with a holy and fitting stream; wherefore it goes on, She has wrought a good work on me. And so effectual is the praise of this good work, that it ought to excite all of us to fill the head of the Lord with sweet-smelling and rich offerings, that of us it may be said that we have done a good work over the head of the Lord. For we always have with us, as long as we remain in this life, the poor who have need of the care of those who have made progress in the word, and are enriched in the wisdom of God; they are not however able always day and night to have with them the Son of God, that is, the Word and Wisdom of God.

For it goes on: For you have the poor always with you, and whenever you will you may do them good; but me you have not always.

BEDE; To me, indeed, He seems to speak of His bodily presence, that He should by no means be with them after His resurrection, as He then was living with them in all familiarity.

PSEUDO-JEROME. He says also, She has wrought a good work on me, for whosoever believes on the Lord, it is counted to Him for righteousness. For it is one thing to believe Him, and to believe on Him, that is, to cast ourselves entirely upon Him.

It goes on: She has done what she could, she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

BEDE; As if the Lord said, What you think is a waste of ointment is the service of my burial.

THEOPHYL. For she is come aforehand as though led by God to anoint my body, as a sign of my approaching burial; by which He confounds the traitor, as if He said, With what conscience can you confound the woman, who anoints my body to the burial, and cost not confound yourself, who will deliver me to death? But the Lord makes a double prophecy; one that the Gospel shall be preached over the whole world, another that the deed of the woman shall be praised.

Wherefore it goes on: Verily I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall he preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

BEDE; Observe also, that as Mary won glory throughout the whole world for the service which she rendered to the Lord, so, on the contrary, he who was bold enough to reprove her service, is held in infamy far and wide; but the Lord in rewarding the good with due praise has passed over in silence the future shame of the impious.

10. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the Chief Priests, to betray him to them.
11. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

BEDE; The unhappy Judas wishes to compensate with the price of his Master for the loss which he thought he had made by the pouring out of the ointment; wherefore it is said, And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the Chief Priests to betray him to them.

CHRYS. Why do you tell me of his country? would that I could also have been ignorant of his existence. But there was another disciple called Judas the zealot, the brother of James, and lest by calling him by this name there should arise a confusion between the two, he separates the one from the other. But he says not Judas the traitor, that he may teach us to be guiltless of detraction, and to avoid accusing others. In that however he says, one of the twelve, he enhanced the detestable guilt of the traitor; for there were seventy other disciples, these however were not so intimate with Him, nor admitted to such familiar intercourse. But these twelve were approved by Him, these were the regal band, out of which the wicked traitor came forth.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But he was one of the twelve in number, not in merit, one in body, not in soul. But he went to the Chief Priests after he went out and Satan entered into him. Every living thing unites with what is like itself.

BEDE; But by the words, he went out, it is shown that he was not invited by the Chief Priests, nor bound by any necessity, but entered upon this design from the spontaneous wickedness of his own mind.

THEOPHYL. It is said, to betray him to them, that is, to announce to them when He should be alone. But they feared to rush upon Him when He was teaching, for fear of the people.

PSEUDO-JEROME; And he promises to betray Him, as his master the devil said before, All this power I will give you. It goes on, And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. They promise him money, and they lose their life, which he also loses on receiving the money.

CHRYS. Oh! the madness, yea, the avarice of the traitor, for his covetousness brought forth all the evil. For covetousness retains the souls which it has taken, and confines them in every way when it has bound them, and makes them forget all things, maddening their minds. Judas, taken captive by this madness of avarice, forgets the conversation, the table of Christ, his own discipleship, Christ's warnings and persuasion. For there follows, And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

PSEUDO-JEROME; No opportunity for treachery can be found, such that it can escape vengeance here or there.

BEDE; Many in this day shudder at the crime of Judas in selling his Master, his Lord and his God, for money, as monstrous and horrible wickedness; they however do not take heed, for when for the sake of gain they trample on the rights of charity and truth, they are traitors to God, who is Charity and Truth.

12. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover, his disciples said to him Where will you that we go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?
13. And he sent forth two of his disciples, and said to them, Go you into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
14. And wherever he shall go in, say you to the good man of the house, The Master said; Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples?
15. And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.
16. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said to them: and they made ready the Passover.

CHRYS. Whilst Judas was plotting how to betray Him, the rest of the disciples were taking care of the preparation of the Passover: wherefore it is said, And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover, his disciples said to him, Where will you that we go and prepare where you may eat the Passover.

BEDE; He means by the first day of the Passover the fourteenth day of the first month, when they threw aside leaven, and were wont to sacrifice, that is, to kill the lamb at even. The Apostle explaining this says, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. For although He was crucified on the next day, that is, on the fifteenth moon, yet on the night when the lamb was offered up, He committed to His disciples the mysteries of His Body and Blood, which they were to celebrate, and was seized upon and bound by the Jews; thus He consecrated the beginning of His sacrifice, that is, of His Passion.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But the unleavened bread which was eaten with bitterness, that is with bitter herbs, is our redemption, and the bitterness is the Passion of our Lord.

THEOPHYL. From the words of the disciples, Where will you that we go? it seems evident that Christ had no dwelling-place, and that the disciples had no houses of their own; for if so, they would have taken Him thither.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For they say, Where will you that we go? to show us that we should direct our steps according to the will of God. But the Lord points out with whom He would eat the Passover, and after l His custom He sends two disciples, which we have explained above; wherefore it goes on, And he sent forth two of his disciples, and he said to them, Go you into the city.

THEOPHYL. He sends two of His disciples, that is, Peter and John, as Luke says, to a man unknown to Him, implying by this that He might, if He had pleased, have avoided His Passion. For what could not He work in other men, who influenced the mind of a person unknown to Him, so that he received them? He also gives them a sign how they were to know the house, when He adds, And there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water.

AUG. Mark says a pitcher, Luke a two-handled vessel; one points out the kind of vessel, the other the mode of carrying it; both however mean the same truth.

BEDE; And it is a proof of the presence of His divinity, that in speaking with His disciples,

He knows what is to take place elsewhere; wherefore it follows, And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said to them; and they made ready the Passover.

CHRYS. Not our Passover, but in the meanwhile that of the Jews; but He did not only appoint ours, but Himself became our Passover. Why too did He eat it? Because He was made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, and Himself give rest to the Law. And lest any one should say that He did away with it, because He could not fulfill its hard and difficult obedience, He first Himself fulfilled it, and then set it to rest.

PSEUDO-JEROME. And in a mystical sense the city is the Church, surrounded by the wall of faith, the man who meets them is the primitive people, the pitcher of water is the law of the letter.

BEDE; Or else, the water is the layer of grace, the pitcher points out the weakness of those who were to show that grace to the world.

THEOPHYL. He who is baptized carries the pitcher of water, and he who bears baptism upon him comes to his rest, if he lives according to his reason; and he obtains rest, as being in the house. Wherefore it is added, Follow him.

PSEUDO-JEROME; That is, him who leads to the lofty place, where is the refreshment prepared by Christ. The lord of the house is the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord has entrusted His house; that there may be one faith under one Shepherd. The large upper-room is the wide-spread Church, in which the name of the Lord is spoken of, prepared by a variety of powers and tongues.

BEDE; Or else, the large upper-room is spiritually the Law, which comes forth from the narrowness of the letter, and in a lofty place, that is, in the lofty chamber of the soul, receives the Savior. But it is designedly that the names both of the bearer of the water, and of the lord of the house, are omitted, to imply that power is given to all who wish to celebrate the true Passover, that is, to be embued with the sacraments of Christ, and to receive Him in the dwelling-place of their mind.

THEOPHYL. Or else, the lord of the house is the intellect, which points out the large upper room, that is, the loftiness of intelligences, and which, though it be high, yet has nothing of vain glory, or of pride, but is prepared and made level by humility. But there, that is, in such a mind Christ's Passover is prepared by Peter and John, that is by action and contemplation.

17. And in the evening he comes with the twelve.
18. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say to you, One of you which eats with me shall betray me.
19. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
20. And he answered and said to them, It is one of the twelve, that dips with me in the dish.
21. The Son of man indeed goes, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

BEDE; The Lord who had foretold His Passion, prophesied also of the traitor, in order to give him room for repentance, that understanding that his thoughts were known, he might repent. Wherefore it is said, And in the evening he comes with the twelve.

And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say to you, One of you which eats with me shall betray me.

CHRYS. Where it is evident that He did not proclaim him openly to all, lest He should make him the more shameless; at the same time He did not altogether keep it silent, lest thinking that he was not discovered, he should boldly hasten to betray Him.

THEOPHYL. But how could they eat reclining, when the law ordered that standing and upright they should eat the Passover? It is probable that they had first fulfilled the legal Passover, and had reclined, when He began to give them His own Passover.

PSEUDO-JEROME; The evening of the day points out the evening of the world; for the last, who are the first to receive the penny of eternal life, come about the eleventh hour. All the disciples then are touched by the Lord; so that there is amongst them the harmony of the harp, all the well attuned strings answer with accordant tone; for it goes on: And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one, Is it I? One of them however, unstrung, and steeped in the love of money, said, Is it I, Lord? as Matthew testifies.

THEOPHYL. But the other disciples began to be saddened on account of the word of the Lord; for although they were free from this passion, yet they trust Him who knows all hearts, rather than themselves. It goes on: And he answered and said to them, It is one of the twelve, that dips with me in the dish.

BEDE; That is, Judas, who when the others were sad and held back their hands, puts forth his hand with his Master into the dish. And because He had before said, One of you shall betray me, and yet the traitor perseveres in his evil, He accuses him more openly, without however pointing out his name.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Again, He says, One out of the twelve, as it were separate from them, for the wolf carries away from the flock the sheep which he has taken, and the sheep which quits the fold lies open to the bite of the wolf.

But Judas does not withdraw his foot from his traitorous design though once and again pointed at, wherefore his punishment is foretold, that the death denounced upon him might correct him, whom shame could not overcame; wherefore it goes on: The Son of man indeed goes, as it is written of him.

THEOPHYL. The word here used, goes, shows that the death of Christ was not forced but voluntary.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But because many do good, in the way that Judas did, without its profiting them, there follows: Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

BEDE; Woe too to that man, today and for ever, who comes to the Lord's table with an evil intent. For he, after the example of Judas, betrays the Lord, not indeed to Jewish sinners, but to his own sinning members. It goes on: Good were it for that man if he had never been born.

PSEUDO-JEROME; That is, hidden in his mother's inmost womb, for it is better for a man not to exist than to exist for torments.

THEOPHYL. For as respects the end for which he was designed, it would have been better for him to have been born, if he had not been the betrayer, for God created him for good works; but after he had fallen into such dreadful wickedness, it would have been better for him never to have been born.

22. And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
23. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
24. And he said to them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
25. Verily I say to you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

BEDE; When the rites of the old Passover were finished, He passed to the new, in order, that is, to substitute the Sacrament of His own Body and Blood, for the flesh and blood of the lamb. Wherefore there follows: And as they did eat, Jesus took bread; that is, in order to show that He Himself is that person to whom the Lord swore, You are a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec. There follows: And blessed, and broke it.

THEOPHYL. That is, giving thanks, He broke it, which we also do, with the addition of some prayers.

BEDE; He Himself also breaks the bread, which He gives to His disciples, to show that the breaking of His Body was to take place, not against His will, nor without His intervention; He also blessed it, because He with the Father and the Holy Spirit filled His human nature, which He took upon Him in order to suffer, with the grace of Divine power. He blessed bread and brake it, because He deigned to subject to death His manhood, which He had taken upon Him, in such a way as to show that there was within it the power of Divine immortality, and to teach them that therefore He would the more quickly raise it from the dead. There follows: And gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

THEOPHYL. That, namely, which I now give and which you take. But the bread is not a mere figure of the Body of Christ, but is changed into the very Body of Christ. For the Lord said, The bread which I give you is my flesh. But the flesh of Christ is veiled from our eyes on account of our weakness, for bread and wine are things to which we are accustomed, if however we saw flesh and blood we could not bear to take them. For this reason the Lord bending Himself to our weakness keeps the forms of bread and wine, but changes the bread and wine into the reality of His Body and Blood.

CHRYS. Even now also that Christ is close to us; He who prepared that table, Himself also consecrates it. For it is not man who makes the offerings to be the Body and Blood of Christ, but Christ who was crucified for us. The words are spoken by the mouth of the Priest, and are consecrated by the power and the grace of God. By this word which He spoke, This is my body, the offerings are consecrated; and as that word which says, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, was sent forth but once, yet has its effect throughout all time, when nature does the work of generation; so also that voice was spoken once, yet gives confirmation to the sacrifice through all the tables of the Church even to this day, even to His advent.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But in a mystical sense, the Lord transfigures into bread His body, which is the present Church, which is received in faith, is blessed in its number, is broken in its sufferings, is given in its examples, is taken in its doctrines; and He forms His Blood in the chalice of water and wine mingled together, that by one we may be purged from our sins, by the other redeemed from their punishment. For by the blood of the lamb our houses are preserved from the smiting of the Angel, and our enemies perish in the waters of the Red sea, which are the sacraments of the Church of Christ. Wherefore it goes on: And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them. For we are saved by the grace of the Lord, not by our own deserts.

GREG. When His Passion was approaching, He is said to have taken bread and given thanks. He therefore gave thanks, who took upon Him the stripes of other men's wickedness; He who did nothing worthy of smiting, humbly gives a blessing in His Passion, to show us, what each should do when beaten for his own sins, since He Himself bore calmly the stripes due to the sin of others; furthermore to show us, what we who are the subjects of the Father should do under correction, when He who is His equal gave thanks under the lash.

BEDE; The wine of the Lord's cup is mixed with water, because we should remain in Christ and Christ in us. For on the testimony of John, the waters are the people, and it is not lawful for any one to offer either wine alone, or water alone, lest such an oblation should mean that the head may be severed from the members, and either that Christ could suffer without love for our redemption, and that we can be saved or be offered to the Father without His Passion. It goes on: And they all drank of it.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Happy intoxication, saving fullness, which the more we drink gives the greater sobriety of mind!

THEOPHYL. Some say that Judas did not partake in these mysteries, but that he went out before the Lord gave the Sacrament. Some again say that He gave him also of that Sacrament.

CHRYS. For Christ offered His blood to him who betrayed Him, that he might have remission of his' sins, if he had chosen to cease to be wicked.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Judas therefore drinks and is not satisfied, nor can he quench the thirst of the everlasting fire, because he unworthily partakes of the mysteries of Christ. There are some in the Church whom the sacrifice does not cleanse, but their foolish thought draws them on to sin, for they have plunged themselves in the stinking slough of cruelty.

CHRYS. Let there not be therefore a Judas at the table of the Lord; this sacrifice is spiritual food, for as bodily food, working on a belly filled with humors which are opposed to it, is hurtful, so this spiritual food if taken by one polluted with wickedness, rather brings him to perdition, not by its own nature, but through the fault of the recipient. Let therefore our mind be pure in all things, and our thought pure, for that sacrifice is pure. There follows: And he said to them, This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.

BEDE; This refers to the different circumstances of the Old Testament, which was consecrated by the blood of calves and of goats; and the lawgiver said in sprinkling it, This is the blood of the Testament which God has enjoined to you. It goes on: Which is shed for many.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For it does not cleanse all. It goes on: Verily I say to you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

THEOPHYL. As if He had said, I will not drink wine until the resurrection; for He calls His resurrection the kingdom, as He then reigned over death. But after His resurrection He ate and drank with His disciples, showing that it was He Himself who had suffered. But He drank it new, that is, in a new and strange manner, for He had not a body subject to suffering, and requiring food, but immortal and incorruptible. We may also understand it in this way. The vine is the Lord Himself, by the offspring of the vine is meant mysteries, and the secret understanding, which He Himself begets, who teaches man knowledge. But in the kingdom of God, that is, in the world to come, He will drink with His disciples mysteries and knowledge, teaching us new things, and revealing what He now hides.

BEDE; Or else, Isaiah testifies that the synagogue is called the vine or the vineyard of the Lord, saying, The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. The Lord therefore when about to go to His Passion, says, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, as if He had said openly, I will no longer delight in the carnal rites of the synagogue, in which also these rites of the Paschal Lamb have held the chief place. For the time of my resurrection shall come, that day shall come, when in the kingdom of heaven, that is, raised on high with the glory of immortal life, I will be filled with a new joy, together with you, for the salvation of the same people born again of the fountain of spiritual grace.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But we must consider that here the Lord changes the sacrifice without changing the time; so that we never celebrate the Caena Domini before the fourteenth moon. He who celebrates the resurrection on the fourteenth moon, will celebrate the Caena Domini on the eleventh moon, which was never done in either Old or New Testament.

26. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
27. And Jesus said to them, All you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
28. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
29. But Peter said to him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
30. And Jesus said to him, Verily I say to you, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me thrice.
31. But he spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with you, I will not deny you in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

THEOPHYL. As they returned thanks, before they drank, so they return thanks after drinking; wherefore it is said, And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives, to teach us to return thanks both before and after our food.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For by a hymn he means the praise of the Lord, as is said in the Psalms, The poor shall eat and be satisfied; they that seek after the Lord shall praise him. And again, All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped.

THEOPHYL. He also shows by this that He was glad to die for us, because when about to be betrayed, He deigned to praise God. He also teaches us when we fall into troubles for the sake of the salvation of many, not to be sad, but to give thanks to God, who through our distress works the salvation of many.

BEDE; That hymn in the Gospel of John may also be meant, which the Lord sang, returning thanks to the Father, in which also He prayed, raising His eyes to heaven, for Himself and His disciples, and those who were to believe, through their word.

THEOPHYL. Again, He went out into a mountain, that they might come to Him in a lonely place, and take Him without tumult. For if they had come to Him, whilst He was abiding in the city, the multitude of the people would have been in an uproar, and then His enemies, who took occasion against Him, should seem to have slain Him justly, because He stirred up the people.

BEDE; Beautifully also does the Lord lead out His disciples, when they had tasted His Sacraments, into the mount of Olives, to show typically that we ought through the reception of the Sacraments to rise up to higher gifts of virtue, and graces of the Holy Ghost, that we may be anointed in heart.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Jesus also is held captive on the mount of Olives, whence He ascended to heaven, that we may know, that we ascend into heaven from that place in which we watch and pray; there we are bound and do not tend back again to earth.

BEDE; But the Lord foretells to His disciples what is about to happen to them, that when they have gone through it, they may not despair of salvation, but work out their repentance, and be freed; wherefore there follows: And Jesus said to them, All you shall be offended because of me this night.

PSEUDO-JEROME; All indeed fall, but all do not remain fallen. For shall not he who sleeps also rise up again? It is a camel thing to fall, but devilish to remain lying when fallen.

THEOPHYL. The Lord allowed them to fall that they might not trust in themselves, and lest He should seem to have prophesied, what He had said, as an open accusation of them, He brings forward the witness of Zechariah the Prophet; wherefore it goes on: For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

BEDE; This is written in different words in Zacharias, and in the person of the Prophet it is said to the Lord; Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For the Prophet prays for the Passion of the Lord, and the Father answers, I will smite the shepherd according to the prayers of those below. The Son is sent and smitten by the Father, that is, He is made incarnate and suffers.

THEOPHYL. But the Father says, I will smite the shepherd, because He permitted him to be smitten. He calls the disciples sheep, as being innocent and without guile. At last He consoles them, by saying, But after that I am risen I will go before you into Galilee.

PSEUDO-JEROME; In which the true resurrection is promised, that their hope may not be extinguished. There follows: But Peter said to him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. Lo, a bird unfledged strives to raise itself on high; but the body weighs down the soul, so that the fear of the Lord is overcome by the fear of human death.

BEDE; Peter then promised in the ardor of his faith, and the Savior as God knew what was to happen. Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus said to him, Verily I say to you, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me thrice.

AUG. Though all the Evangelists say that the Lord foretold that Peter was to deny before the cock crew, Mark alone has related it more minutely, wherefore some from inattention suppose that he does not agree with the others. For the whole of Peter's denial is threefold; if it had begun altogether after the cock crew, the other three Evangelists would seem to have spoken falsely, in saying, that before the cock crew, he would deny him thrice. Again, if he had finished the entire threefold denial before the cock began to crow, Mark would in the person of the Lord seem to have said needlessly, Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me thrice. But because that threefold denial began before the first cock-crowing, the other three did not notice when Peter was to finish it, but how great it was to be, that is, threefold, and when it was to begin, that is, before the cock crew, although the whole was conceived in his mind, even before the first cock crew; but Mark has related more plainly the interval between his words themselves.

THEOPHYL. We are to understand that it happened thus; Peter denied once, then the cock crew, but after he had made two more denials, then the cock crew for the second time.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Who is the cock, the harbinger of day, but the Holy Ghost? by whose voice in prophecy, and in the Apostles, we are roused from our threefold denial, to most bitter tears after our fall, for we have thought evil of God, spoken evil of our neighbors, and done evil to ourselves.

BEDE; The faith of the Apostle Peter, and his burning love for our Lord, is shown in what follows. For it goes on: But he spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with you, I will not deny you in any wise.

THEOPHYL. The other disciples also showed a fearless zeal. For there follows, Likewise also said they all, but nevertheless they acted against the truth, which Christ had prophesied.

32. And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he said to his disciples, Sit you here, while I shall pray.
33. And he takes with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
34. And said to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful to death: tarry you here, and watch.
35. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what you will.
37. And he comes, and finds them sleeping, and said to Peter, Simon, sleep you? could not you watch one hour?
38. Watch you and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
39. And again he went away, and prayed, and spoke the same words.
40. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
41. And he comes the third time, and said to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrays me is at hand.

GLOSS. After that the Lord, had foretold the offense of His disciples, the Evangelist gives an account of His prayer, in which He is supposed to have prayed for His disciples; and first describing the place of prayer, he says, And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane.

BEDE; The place Gethsemane, in which the Lord prayed, is shown up to this day at the foot of the Mount of Olives. The meaning of Gethsemane is, the valley of the fat, or of fatness. Now when our Lord prays on a mountain, He teaches us that we should when we pray ask for lofty things; but by praying in the valley of fatness, He implies that in our prayer humility and the fatness of interior love must be kept. He also by the valley of humility and the fatness of charity underwent death for us.

PSEUDO-JEROME; In the valley of fatness also, the fat bulls beset Him. There follows, And he said to his disciples, Sit you here, while I shall pray; they are separated from Him in prayer, who are separated in His Passion; for He prays, they sleep, overcome by the sloth of their heart.

THEOPHYL. It was also His custom always to pray by Himself, in order to give us an example, to seek for silence and solitude in our prayers. There follows: And he takes with him Peter, and James, and John. He takes only those who had been witnesses of His glory on Mount Tabor, that they who had seen His glory might also see His sufferings, and learn that He is really man, in that He is sorrowful. Wherefore there follows: And began to be sore amazed, and very heavy. For since He had taken on Himself the whole of human nature, He took also those natural things which belong to man, amazement, heaviness, and sorrow; for men are naturally unwilling to die.

Wherefore it goes on: And he said to then, My soul is exceeding sorrowful to death.

BEDE; As being God, dwelling in the body, He shows the frailty of flesh, that the blasphemy of those who deny the mystery of His Incarnation might find no place; for having taken up a body, He must needs also take up all that belongs to the body, hunger, thirst, pain, grief; for the Godhead cannot suffer the changes of these affections.

THEOPHYL. But some have understood this, as if He had said, I am sorrowful, not because I am to die, but because the Jews, my countrymen, are about to crucify me, and by these means to be shut out from the kingdom of God.

PSEUDO-JEROME; By this also we are taught to fear and to be sorrowful before the judgment of death, for not by ourselves, but by Him only, can we say, The prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me. There follows: Tarry you here, and watch.

BEDE; He does not mean natural sleep by the sleep which He forbids, for the time of approaching danger did not allow of it, but the sleep of unfaithfulness, and the torpor of the mind. But going forward a little, He falls on His face, and shows his lowliness of mind, by the posture of His body. Wherefore there follows: And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

AUG. He said not, if He could do it, but if it could be done; for whatever He wills is possible. We must therefore understand, if it be possible, as if it were; if He is willing.

And lest any one should suppose that He lessened His Father's power, he shows in what sense the words are to be understood; for there follows, And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. By which He sufficiently shows, that the words, if it be possible, must be understood not of any impossibility, but of the will of His Father. As to what Mark relates, that he said not only Father, but Abba, Father, Abba is the Hebrew for Father. And perhaps the Lord said both words, on account of some Sacrament contained in them; wishing to show that He had taken upon Himself that sorrow in the person of His body, the Church, to which He was made the chief corner stone, and which came to Him, partly from the Hebrews, who are represented by the word Abba, partly from the Gentiles, to whom Father belongs.

BEDE; But He prays, that the cup may pass away, to show that He is very man, wherefore He adds: Take away this cup from me. But remembering why He was sent, He accomplishes the dispensation for which He was sent, and cries out, But not what I will, but what you will. As if He had said, If death can die, without my dying according to the flesh, let this cup pass away; but since this cannot be otherwise, not what I will, but what you will. Many still are sad at the prospect of death, but let them keep their heart right, and avoid death as much as they can; but if they cannot, then let them say what the Lord said for us.

PSEUDO-JEROME; By which also He ceases not up to the end to teach us to obey our fathers, and to prefer their will to ours. There follows: And he comes, and finds them sleeping. For as they are asleep in mind, so also in body. But after His prayer, the Lord coming, and seeing His disciples sleeping, rebukes Peter alone. Wherefore it goes on: And said to Peter, Simon, sleep you? could not you watch with me one hour? As if He had said, If you could not watch one hour with me, how wilt thou be able to despise death, thou who promises to die with me?

It goes on: Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation, that is, the temptation of denying me.

BEDE; He does not say, Pray that you may not be tempted, because it is impossible for the human mind not to be tempted, but that you enter not into temptation, that is, that temptation may not vanquish you.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But he is said to enter into temptation, who neglects to pray. There follows: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

THEOPHYL. As if He had said, Your spirit indeed is ready not to deny me, and for this reason you promise; but your flesh is weak, in that unless God give power to your flesh through prayer, you shall enter into temptation.

BEDE; He here represses the rash, who think that they can compass whatever they are confident about. But in proportion as we are confident from the ardor of our mind, so let us fear from the weakness of our flesh. For this place makes against those, who say that there was but one operation in the Lord and one will. For He shows two wills, one human, which from the weakness of the flesh shrinks from suffering; one divine, which is most ready.

It goes on: And again he went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.

THEOPHYL. That by His second prayer He might show Himself to be very man. It goes on: And when he returned, he found them asleep again; He however did not rebuke them severely. For their eyes were heavy, (that is, with sleep,) neither wist they what to answer him. By this learn the weakness of men, and let us not, whom even sleep can overcome, promise things which are impossible to us. Therefore He goes away the third time to pray the prayer mentioned above.

Wherefore it goes on: And he comes the third time and said to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest. He is not vehement against them, though after His rebuke they had done worse, but He tells them ironically, Sleep on now, and take your rest, because He knew that the betrayer was now close at hand. And that He spoke ironically is evident, by what is added: It is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. He speaks this, as deriding their sleep, as if He had said, Now indeed is a time for sleep, when the traitor is approaching.

Then He says; Arise, let us go; lo, he that betrays me is at hand; he did not say this to bid them fly, but that they might meet their enemies.

AUG. Or else; In that it is said, that after He had spoken these words, Sleep on now, and take your rest, He added, It is enough, and then, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed, we must understand that after saying, Sleep on now, and take your rest, our Lord remained silent for a short time, to give space for that to happen, which He had permitted; and then that He added, the hour is come; and therefore He puts in between, it is enough, that is, your rest has been long enough.

PSEUDO-JEROME; The threefold sleep of the disciples points out the three dead, whom our Lord raised up; the first, in a house; the second, at the tomb; the third, from the tomb. And the threefold watch of the Lord teaches us in our prayers, to beg for the pardon of past, future, and present sins.

43. And immediately, while he yet spoke, comes Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the elders.
44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.
45. And as soon as he was come, he goes straight way to him, and said, Master, Master, and kissed him.
46. And they laid their hands on him, and took him.
47. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the High Priest, and cut off his ear.
48. And Jesus answered and said to them, Are you come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
49. I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you took me not: but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.
50. And they all forsook him, and fled.
51. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
52. And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

BEDE; After that our Lord had prayed three times, and had obtained by His prayers that the fear of the Apostles should be amended by future repentance, He, being tranquil as to His Passion, goes to His persecutors, concerning the coming of whom the Evangelist says, And immediately, while he yet spoke, comes Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve.

THEOPHYL. This is not put without reason, but to the greater conviction of the traitor, since though he was of the chief company amongst the disciples, he turned himself to furious enmity against our Lord. There follows: And with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the elders.

PSEUDO-JEROME; For he who despairs of help from God, has recourse to the power of the world.

BEDE; But Judas had still something of the shame of a disciple, for he did not openly betray Him to his persecutors, but by the token of a kiss. Wherefore it goes on: And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

THEOPHYL. See how in his blindness he thought to deceive Christ by the kiss, so as to be looked upon by Him as His friend. But if you were a friend, Judas, how did you come with His enemies? But wickedness is ever without foresight. It goes on: And as soon as he was come, he goes straightway to him, and said, Master, master; and kissed him.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Judas gives the kiss as a token, with poisonous guile, just as Cain offered a crafty, reprobate sacrifice.

BEDE; With envy and with a wicked confidence, he calls Him master, and gives Him a kiss, in betraying Him. But the Lord receives the kiss of the traitor, not to teach us to deceive, but lest he should seem to avoid betrayal, and at the same time to fulfill that Psalm, Among them that are enemies to peace I labor for peace.

It goes on: And they laid hands on him, and took him.

PSEUDO-JEROME; This is the Joseph who was sold by his brethren, and into whose soul the iron entered. There follows: And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and, smote a servant of the High Priest, and cut off his ear.

BEDE; Peter did this, as John declares, with the same ardent mind with which he did all things; for he knew how Phineas had by punishing sacrilegious persons received the reward of righteousness and of perpetual priesthood.

THEOPHYL. Mark conceals his name, lest he should seem to be praising his master for his zeal for Christ Again, the action of Peter points out that they were disobedient and unbelieving, despising the Scriptures; for if they had had ears to hear the Scriptures, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But he cut off the ear of a servant of the High Priest, for the Chief Priests especially passed over the Scriptures, like disobedient servants.

It goes on; And Jesus answered and said to them, Are you come out as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

BEDE; As if He had said, it is foolish to seek with swords and staves Him, who offers Himself to you of His own accord and to search, as for one who hides Himself, by night and by means of a traitor, for Him who taught daily in the temple.

THEOPHYL. This, however, is a proof of His divinity, for when He taught in the temple they were unable to take Him, although He was in their power, because the time of His Passion had not yet come; but when He Himself was willing, then He gave Himself up, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, for he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, not crying nor raising His voice, but suffering willingly.

It goes on: And they all forsook him and fled.

BEDE; In this is fulfilled the word, which the Lord had spoken, that all His disciples should be offended in Him that same night. There follows: And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body, that is, he had no other clothing but this linen cloth.

It goes on: And they laid hold on him, and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. That is, he fled from them, whose presence and whose deeds he abhorred, not from the Lord, for whom his love remained fixed in his mind, when absent from Him in body.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Just as Joseph left his mantle behind him, and fled naked from the wanton woman; so also let him, who would escape the hands of the evil ones, quit in mind all that is of the world, and fly after Jesus.

THEOPH. It appears probable that this young man was of that house, where they had eaten the Passover. But some say that this young man was James, the brother of our Lord, who was called Just; who after the ascension of Christ received from the Apostles the throne of the bishopric of Jerusalem.

GREG. Or, he says this of John, who, although he afterwards returned to the cross to hear the words of the Redeemer, at first was frightened and fled.

BEDE; For that he was a young man at that time, is evident from his long sojourn in the flesh. Perhaps he escaped from the hands of those who held him for the time, and afterwards got back his garment and returned, mingling under cover of the darkness with those who were leading Jesus, as though he was one of them, until he arrived at the door of the High Priest, to whom he was known, as he himself testifies in the Gospel. But as Peter, who washed away the sin of his denial with the tears of penitence, shows the recovery of those who fall away in time of martyrdom, so the other disciples who prevented their actual seizure, teach the prudence of flight to those who feel themselves unequal to undergo tortures.

53. And they led Jesus away to the High Priest: and with him were assembled all the Chief Priests and the elders and the Scribes.
54. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the High Priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
55. And the Chief Priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
56. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
57. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,
58. We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
59. But neither so did their witness agree together.

GLOSS. The Evangelist had related above how our Lord had been taken by the servants of the Priests, now he begins to relate how He was condemned to death in the house of the High Priest: wherefore it is said, And they led Jesus away to the High Priest.

BEDE; He means by the High Priest Caiaphas, who (as John writes) was High Priest that year, of whom Josephus relates that he bought his priesthood of the Roman Emperor. There follows: And with him were assembled all the Chief Priests and the elders and the scribes.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Then took place the gathering together of the bulls among the heifers of the people. It goes on: And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the High Priest. For though fear holds him back, love draws him on.

BEDE; But rightly does he follow afar off, who is just about to betray Him; for he could not have denied Christ, if he had remained close to Him. There follows, And he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

PSEUDO-JEROME; He warms himself at the fire in the hall, with the servants. The hall of the High Priest is the enclosure of the world, the servants are the devils, with whom whoever remains cannot weep for his sins; the fire is the desire of the flesh.

BEDE; For charity is the fire of which it is said, I am come to send fire on the earth, which flame coming down on the believers, taught them to speak with various tongues the praise of the Lord. There is also a fire of covetousness, of which it is said, They are all adulterers as an oven; this fire, raised up in the hall of Caiaphas by the suggestion of an evil spirit, was arming the tongues of the traitors to deny and blaspheme the Lord. For the fire lit up in the hall amidst the cold of the night was a figure of what the wicked assembly was doing within; for because of the abounding of iniquity the love of many waxes cold. Peter, who for a time was benumbed by this cold, wished as it were to be warmed by the coals of the servants of Caiaphas, because He sought in the society of traitors the consolation of worldly comfort.

It goes on, And the Chief Priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death.

THEOPHYL. Though the law commanded that there should be but one High Priest, there were then many put into the office, and stripped of it, year by year, by the Roman emperor. He therefore calls chief priests those who had finished the time allotted to them, and had been stripped of their priesthood. But their actions are a sign of their judgment, which they carried on as they had prejudged, for they sought for a witness, that they might seem to condemn and destroy Jesus with justice.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But iniquity lied as the queen did against Joseph, and the priests against Susannah, but a flame goes out, if it has no fuel; wherefore it goes on, And found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. For whatever is not consistent is held to be doubtful.

There follows, And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say,

I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. It is usual with heretics out of the truth to extract the shadow; He did not say what they said, but something like it, of the temple of His body, which He raised again after two days.

THEOPHYL. For the Lord had not said, I will destroy, but, Destroy, nor did He say, made with hands, but, this temple.

BEDE; He had said also, I will raise up, meaning a thing with life and soul, and a breathing temple. He is a false witness, who understands words in a sense, in which they are not spoken.

60. And the High Priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answer you nothing? what is it which these witness against you?
61. But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the High Priest asked him, and said to him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
62. And Jesus said, I am: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
63. Then the High Priest rent his clothes, and said, What need we any further witnesses?
64. You have heard the blasphemy: what think you? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
65. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

BEDE; The more Jesus remained silent before the false witnesses who were unworthy of His answer, and the impious priests, the more the High Priest, overcome with anger, endeavored to provoke Him to answer, that he might find room for accusing Him, from any thing whatever which He might say. Wherefore it is said, And the High Priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answer you nothing? what is it which these witness against you? The High Priest, angry and impatient at finding no room for accusation against Him, rises from his seat, thus showing by the motion of his body the madness of his mind.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But our God and Savior Himself, Who brought salvation to the world, and assisted mankind by His love, is led as a sheep to the slaughter, without crying, and remained mute and kept silence yes even from good words. Wherefore it goes on, But he held his peace, and answered nothing. The silence of Christ is the pardon for the defense or excuse of Adam.

THEOPHYL. But He remained silent because He knew that they would not attend to his words; wherefore He answered according to Luke, If I tell you, you will not believe. Wherefore there follows, Again the High Priest asked him, and said to him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? The High Priest indeed puts this question, not that he might learn of Him and believe, but in order to seek occasion against Him. But he asks, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, because there were many Christs, that is, anointed persons, as Kings and High Priests, but none of these was called the Son of the Blessed God, that is, the Ever-praised.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But they looked from afar off for Him, whom though near they cannot see, as Isaac from the blindness of his eyes does not know Jacob who was under his hands, but prophesies long before things which were to come to him. It goes on, Jesus said, I am; namely, that they might be inexcusable.

THEOPHYL. For He knew that they would not believe, nevertheless He answered them, lest they should afterwards say, If we had heard any thing from Him, we would have believed on Him; but this is their condemnation, that they heard and did not believe.

AUG. Matthew, however, does not say that Jesus answered I am, but, You have said. But Mark shows, that the words I am were equivalent to You have said. There follows, And you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

THEOPHYL. As if He had said, you shall see Me as the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Father, for He here calls the Father power. He will not however come without a body, but as He appeared to those who crucified Him, so will He appear in the judgment.

BEDE; If therefore to you, O Jew, O Pagan, and heretic, the contempt, weakness, and cross in Christ are a subject of scorn, see how by this the Son of Man is to sit at the right hand of the Father, and to come in His majesty on the clouds of heaven.

PSEUDO-JEROME; The High Priest indeed asks the Son of God, but Jesus in His answer speaks of the Son of Man, that we may by this understand that the Son of God is also the Son of Man; and let us not make a quaternity in the Trinity, but let man be in God and God in man. And He said, Sitting on the right hand of power, that is, reigning in life everlasting, and in the Divine power. He says, And coming with the clouds of heaven. He ascended in a cloud, He will come with a cloud; that is, He ascended in that body alone, which He took of the Virgin, and He will come to judgment with the whole Church, which is His body and His fullness.

LEO; But Caiaphas, to increase the odiousness of what they had heard, rent his clothes, and without knowing what his frantic action meant, by his madness, deprived himself of the honor of the priesthood, forgetting that command, by which it is said of the High Priest, He shall not uncover his head or rend his clothes. For there follows: Then the High Priest rent his clothes, and said, What need, we any further witnesses? you have heard, the blasphemy: what think you?

THEOPHYL. The High Priest does after the manner of the Jews; for whenever any thing intolerable or sad occurred to them, they used to rend their clothes. In order then to show that Christ had spoken great and intolerable blasphemy, he rent his clothes.

BEDE; But it was also with a higher mystery, that in the Passion of our Lord the Jewish priest rent his own clothes, that is, his ephod, whilst the garment of the Lord could not be rent, even by the soldiers, who crucified Him. For it was a figure that the Jewish priesthood was to be rent on account of the wickedness of the priests themselves. But the solid strength of the Church, which is often called the garment of her Redeemer, can never be torn asunder.

THEOPHYL. The Jewish priesthood was to be rent from the time that they condemned Christ as guilty of death; wherefore there follows, And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

PSEUDO-JEROME; They condemned Him to be guilty of death, that by His guiltiness He might absolve our guilt. It goes on: And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands; that is, that by being spit upon He might wash the face of our soul, and by the covering of His face, might take away the veil from our hearts, and by the buffets, which were dealt upon His head, might heal the head of mankind, that is, Adam, and by the blows, by which He was smitten with the hands, His great praise might be testified by the clapping of our hands and by our lips, as it is said, O clap your hands: together, all you people.

BEDE; By saying, Prophesy, who is he that smote you, they mean to insult Him, because He wished to be looked upon as a prophet by the people.

AUG. We must understand by this, that the Lord suffered these things till morning, in the house of the High Priest, whither He had first been brought.

66. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there comes one of the maids of the High Priest:
67. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And you also were with Jesus of Nazareth.
68. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what you say. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
70. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely you are one of them: for you are a Galilaean, and your speech agrees thereto.
71. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak.
72. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

AUG. Concerning the temptation of Peter, which happened during the injuries before mentioned, all the Evangelists do not speak in the same order. For Luke first relates the temptation of Peter, then these injuries of the Lord; but John begins to speak of the temptation of Peter, and then puts in some things concerning our Lord's ill-treatment, and adds, that He was sent from there to Caiaphas the High Priest, and then he goes back to unfold the temptation of Peter, which he had begun. Matthew and Mark on the other hand first notice the injuries done to Christ, then the temptation of Peter. Concerning which it is said, And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there comes one of the maids of the High Priest.

BEDE; But what can be meant by his being first recognized by a woman, when men were more able to know him, if it be not that that sex might be seen to sin in the death of our lord, and that sex be redeemed by His Passion?

It goes on: But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understanding I what you say.

PSEUDO-JEROME, Peter when he had not the Spirit yielded and lost courage at the voice of a girl, though with the Spirit he was not afraid before princes and kings.

THEOPHYL. The Lord allowed this to happen to him by His providence, that is, lest he should be too much elated, and at the same time, that he might prove himself merciful to sinners, as knowing from himself the result of human weakness. There follows: And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

BEDE; The other Evangelists do not mention this crowing of the cock; they do not however deny the fact, as also some pass over many other things in silence, which others relate. There follows: And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

AUG. This maid is not the same, but another, as Matthew says. Indeed we must also understand, that in this second denial he was addressed by two persons, that is, by the maid whom Matthew and Mark mention, and by another person, of whom Luke takes notice. It goes on: And he denied it again. Peter had now returned, for John says that he denied Him again standing at the fire; wherefore the maid said what has been mentioned above, not to him, that is, Peter, but to those who, when he went out, had remained, in such a way however that he heard it; wherefore coming back and standing again at the fire, he contradicted them, and denied their words. For it is evident, if we compare the accounts of all the Evangelists on this matter, that Peter did not the second time deny him before the porch, but within the palace at the fire, whilst Matthew, and Mark who mention his having gone out are silent, for the sake of brevity, as to his return.

BEDE; By this denial of Peter we learn, that not only he denies Christ, who says that He is not the Christ, but he also, who although he is a Christian, denies himself to be such. For the Lord did not say to Peter, You shall deny thyself to be my disciple, but, You shall deny me; he therefore denied Christ, when he said that he was not His disciple. There follows: And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilaean, and your speech agrees thereto. Not that the Galileans spoke a different tongue from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for they were both Hebrews, but that each province and region has its own peculiarities, and cannot avoid a vernacular pronunciation.

THEOPHYL. Therefore Peter was seized with fear, and forgetting the word of the Lord, which said, Whoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father, he denied our Lord; wherefore there follows: But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak.

BEDE; How hurtful is it to speak with the wicked. He denies before infidels that he knows the man, whom, amongst the disciples, he had confessed to be God. But the Scripture is wont to point out a Sacrament of the causes of things, by the state of the time; thus Peter, who denied at midnight, repented at cock crow; wherefore it is added: And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word which Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me thrice. And he began to weep.

THEOPHYL. For tears brought Peter by penitence to Christ. Confounded then be the Novatians, who he say that he who sins after receiving baptism, is not received to the remission of his sin. For behold Peter, who had also received the Body and Blood of the Lord, is received by penitence; for the failings of saints are written, that if we fall by want of caution, we also may be able to run back through their example, and hope to be relieved by penitence.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But in a mystical sense, the first maid means the wavering, the second, the assent, the third man is the act. This is the threefold denial which the remembrance of the word of the Lord washes away through tears. The cock then crows for us when some preacher stirs up our hearts by repentance to compunction. We then begin to weep, when we are set on fire within by the spark of knowledge, and we go forth, when we cast out what we were within.

Catena Aurea Mark 14
39 posted on 03/29/2015 9:23:16 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex


Christ Taken Prisoner

Duccio di Buoninsegna

1308-11
Tempera on wood, 51 x 76 cm
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena


40 posted on 03/29/2015 9:23:42 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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