April 9, 2017
(part 3)
LECTIO DIVINA: PALM SUNDAY (A)
Lectio Divina: Sunday, April 9, 2017
The narrative of the passion and death of Jesus
Rediscovering one’s first love
Matthew 26:14-27;
27:1-66
1. Opening
prayer
Lord Jesus, send your
Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them
to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the
Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events
of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all
hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence
so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in
events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your wordMatthew
26:14-27; 27:1-66 guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus,
may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you
are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this
of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your
Spirit. Amen.
2.
Suggestions for Holy Week
Palm Sunday is the
beginning of Holy Week, a week that is different from all others. We are confronted
with the deepest of all mysteries of our faith, the supreme revelation of the
love of God manifested in Jesus (Rom 8:38-39).
In the Old Testament,
at times of crisis, the people went back to meditating on and re-reading
Exodus. In the New Testament we go back to the exodus represented by the
passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. For the community of Christians of
all times, the narrative of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus is the
source where we renew our faith, hope and love.
Many times, from the
time of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7), Matthew’s Gospel states that the aim
of the New Law is love and mercy (Mt 5:43-48; 7:12; 9:13; 12:7; 22:34-40). Now,
in this final section of the passion, death and resurrection, he describes how Jesus
put love into practice, bringing the Law to fulfilment (Mt 5:17).
3. A
reading of the Passion and Death of Jesus
A key to the reading:
In Holy Week, during
the reading of the Passion and Death of Jesus, it is not fitting to take an
attitude of research and rational investigation. It is more fitting to remain
silent. Read the text several times, taking as only guide the short titles
which seek to be a key to help us feel the text and experience again the love
of God revealed in the attitude of Jesus towards those who capture him, insult
him, torture him and kill him. As we read, let us not think only of Jesus, but
also of the millions and millions of human beings who today are imprisoned,
tortured, insulted and killed.
Matthew 26:14-16: Judas’
betrayal
Love of money leads a
friend to betray Jesus
14 Then one of the
Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said,
'What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?' They paid him
thirty silver pieces, 16 and from then onwards he began to look for an
opportunity to betray him.
Matthew 26:17-19: The
preparation for the Paschal Supper
Preparing well the
last meeting with friends
17 Now on the first
day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say, 'Where do you want
us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?' 18 He said, 'Go to a
certain man in the city and say to him, "The Master says: My time is near.
It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples." ' 19
The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.
Matthew 26:20-25: The
proclamation of Judas’ betrayal
Even though Jesus
knows everything, he sits at table with the betrayer
20 When evening came
he was at table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating he said, 'In
truth I tell you, one of you is about to betray me.' 22 They were greatly
distressed and started asking him in turn, 'Not me, Lord, surely?' 23 He
answered, 'Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me will betray
me. 24 The Son of man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but
alas for that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Better for that man if he
had never been born!' 25 Judas, who was to betray him, asked in his turn, 'Not
me, Rabbi, surely?' Jesus answered, 'It is you who say it.'
Matthew 26:26-29: The
institution of the Eucharist
Between the betrayal
of the one and the denial of the other, glows a sign of love
Matthew 26:14-27;
27:1-6626 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had said the blessing
he broke it and gave it to the disciples. 'Take it and eat,' he said, 'this is
my body.' 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he handed it to
them saying, 'Drink from this, all of you, 28 for this is my blood, the blood
of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 From now
on, I tell you, I shall never again drink wine until the day I drink the new
wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.'
Matthew 26:30-35: The
proclamation of the denial by Peter
Even though Peter
breaks away from Jesus, Jesus does not break away from Peter
30 After the psalms
had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them,
'You will all fall away from me tonight, for the scripture says: I shall strike
the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered, 32 but after my
resurrection I shall go ahead of you to Galilee.' 33 At this, Peter said to
him, 'Even if all fall away from you, I will never fall away.' 34 Jesus
answered him, 'In truth I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you
will have disowned me three times.' 35 Peter said to him, 'Even if I have to
die with you, I will never disown you.' And all the disciples said the same.
Matthew 26:36-46: The
agony in the Garden of Olives
Jesus chooses fidelity
rather than flight
36 Then Jesus came
with them to a plot of land called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples,
'Stay here while I go over there to pray.' 37 He took Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee with him. And he began to feel sadness and anguish. 38 Then he said to
them, 'My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake
with me.' 39 And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. 'My
Father,' he said, 'if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless,
let it be as you, not I, would have it.' 40 He came back to the disciples and
found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'So you had not the strength to stay
awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake, and pray not to be put to the test.
The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak.' 42 Again, a second
time, he went away and prayed: 'My Father,' he said, 'if this cup cannot pass
by, but I must drink it, your will be done!' 43 And he came back again and
found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy. 44 Leaving them there, he went
away again and prayed for the third time, repeating the same words. 45 Then he
came back to the disciples and said to them, 'You can sleep on now and have
your rest. Look, the hour has come when the Son of man is to be betrayed into
the hands of sinners. 46 Get up! Let us go! Look, my betrayer is not far away.'
Matthew 26:47-56: Jesus’
capture in the Garden
Even though he was
innocent and good, Jesus is considered a bandit and criminal
47 And suddenly while
he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared, and with him a large
number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders
of the people. 48 Now the traitor had arranged a sign with them saying, 'The
one I kiss, he is the man. Arrest him.' 49 So he went up to Jesus at once and
said, 'Greetings, Rabbi,' and kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, 'My friend, do
what you are here for.' Then they came forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.
51 And suddenly, one of the followers of Jesus grasped his sword and drew it;
he struck the high priest's servant and cut off his ear. 52 Jesus then said,
'Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Or
do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, who would promptly send more
than twelve legions of angels to my defence? 54 But then, how would the
scriptures be fulfilled that say this is the way it must be?' 55 It was at this
time that Jesus said to the crowds, 'Am I a bandit, that you had to set out to
capture me with swords and clubs? I sat teaching in the Temple day after day
and you never laid a hand on me.' 56 Now all this happened to fulfil the
prophecies in scripture. Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.
Matthew 26:57-68: Jesus
before the Sanhedrin
The decision, which
has already been made, of sentencing Jesus to death, is given a semblance of
legality
57 The men who had
arrested Jesus led him off to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the
scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 Peter followed him at a distance
right to the high priest's palace, and he went in and sat down with the
attendants to see what the end would be. 59 The chief priests and the whole
Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus, however false, on which they
might have him executed. 60 But they could not find any, though several lying
witnesses came forward. Eventually two came forward 61 and made a statement,
'This man said, "I have power to destroy the Temple of God and in three
days build it up." ' 62 The high priest then rose and said to him, 'Have
you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against
you?' 63 But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, 'I put you on
oath by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.' 64
Jesus answered him, 'It is you who say it. But, I tell you that from this time
onward you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and
coming on the clouds of heaven.' 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and
said, 'He has blasphemed. What need of witnesses have we now? There! You have
just heard the blasphemy. 66 What is your opinion?' They answered, 'He deserves
to die.' 67 Then they spat in his face and hit him with their fists; others
said as they struck him, 68 'Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit you then?'
Matthew 26:69-75: Peter’s
denial
At the moment of
trial, Peter, the leader, denies knowing Jesus
69 Meanwhile Peter was
sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him saying,
'You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.' 70 But he denied it in front of them
all. 'I do not know what you are talking about,' he said. 71 When he went out
to the gateway another servant-girl saw him and said to the people there, 'This
man was with Jesus the Nazarene.' 72 And again, with an oath, he denied it, 'I
do not know the man.' 73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to
Peter, 'You are certainly one of them too! Why, your accent gives you away.' 74
Then he started cursing and swearing, 'I do not know the man.' And at once the
cock crowed, 75 and Peter remembered what Jesus had said, 'Before the cock
crows you will have disowned me three times.' And he went outside and wept
bitterly.
Matthew 27:1-2: Jesus
is led before Pilate
It is not the Jewish
people but it is the élite who lead Jesus to his death
1 When morning came,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people met in council to bring
about the death of Jesus. 2 They had him bound and led him away to hand him
over to Pilate, the governor.
Matthew 27:3-10: The
death of Judas
A little of Judas
lives in each one of us
3 When he found that
Jesus had been condemned, then Judas, his betrayer, was filled with remorse and
took the thirty silver pieces back to the chief priests and elders 4 saying, 'I
have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood.' They replied, 'What is that to
us? That is your concern.' 5 And flinging down the silver pieces in the
sanctuary he made off, and went and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked
up the silver pieces and said, 'It is against the Law to put this into the
treasury; it is blood-money.' 7 So they discussed the matter and with it bought
the potter's field as a graveyard for foreigners, 8 and this is why the field
is still called the Field of Blood. 9 The word spoken through the prophet
Jeremiah was then fulfilled: And they took the thirty silver pieces, the sum at
which the precious One was priced by the children of Israel, 10 and they gave
them for the potter's field, just as the Lord directed me.
Matthew 27:11-26: Jesus
before Pilate
Like the Servant of
Yahweh, Jesus remains silent before those to accuse him
Matthew 26:14-27;
27:1-6611 Jesus, then, was brought before the governor, and the governor put to
him this question, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' Jesus replied, 'It is you
who say it.' 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders he
refused to answer at all. 13 Pilate then said to him, 'Do you not hear how many
charges they have made against you?' 14 But to the governor's amazement, he
offered not a word in answer to any of the charges. 15 At festival time it was
the governor's practice to release a prisoner for the people, anyone they
chose. 16 Now there was then a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas. 17
So when the crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, 'Which do you want me to
release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?' 18 For Pilate knew
it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. 19 Now as he was seated
in the chair of judgement, his wife sent him a message, 'Have nothing to do
with that upright man; I have been extremely upset today by a dream that I had
about him.' 20 The chief priests and the elders, however, had persuaded the
crowd to demand the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. 21 So when
the governor spoke and asked them, 'Which of the two do you want me to release
for you?' they said, 'Barabbas.' 22 Pilate said to them, 'But in that case,
what am I to do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said, 'Let him be
crucified!' 23 He asked, 'But what harm has he done?' But they shouted all the
louder, 'Let him be crucified!' 24 Then Pilate saw that he was making no
impression, that in fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water, washed his
hands in front of the crowd and said, 'I am innocent of this man's blood. It is
your concern.' 25 And the people, every one of them, shouted back, 'Let his
blood be on us and on our children!' 26 Then he released Barabbas for them.
After having Jesus scourged he handed him over to be crucified.
Matthew 27:27-31: Jesus
is crowned with thorns
To undress, torture
and strike someone is what humiliates that person most
27 Then the governor's
soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and collected the whole
cohort round him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet cloak round him,
29 and having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on his head and
placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun of him they knelt to him saying,
'Hail, king of the Jews!' 30 And they spat on him and took the reed and struck
him on the head with it. 31 And when they had finished making fun of him, they
took off the cloak and dressed him in his own clothes and led him away to
crucifixion.
Matthew 27:32-38:
Jesus is crucified
The law says that the
one hanging on a cross is “cursed by God” (Dt 21:23)
32 On their way out,
they came across a man from Cyrene, called Simon, and enlisted him to carry his
cross. 33 When they had reached a place called Golgotha, that is, the place of
the skull, 34 they gave him wine to drink mixed with gall, which he tasted but
refused to drink. 35 When they had finished crucifying him they shared out his
clothing by casting lots, 36 and then sat down and stayed there keeping guard
over him. 37 Above his head was placed the charge against him; it read: 'This
is Jesus, the King of the Jews.' 38 Then two bandits were crucified with him,
one on the right and one on the left.
Matthew 27:39-44: Jesus
is insulted
Hanging, naked, bared
before all, defenceless, without any right
39 The passers-by
jeered at him; they shook their heads 40 and said, 'So you would destroy the
Temple and in three days rebuild it! Then save yourself if you are God's son
and come down from the cross!' 41 The chief priests with the scribes and elders
mocked him in the same way, 42 with the words, 'He saved others; he cannot save
himself. He is the king of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we
will believe in him. 43 He has put his trust in God; now let God rescue him if
he wants him. For he did say, "I am God's son." ' 44 Even the bandits
who were crucified with him taunted him in the same way.
Matthew 27:45-56: The
death of Jesus
“My God! Why have you
forsaken me?” He dies letting out a cry
Matthew 26:14-27;
27:1-6645 From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the
ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli,
eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' 47
When some of those who stood there heard this, they said, 'The man is calling
on Elijah,' 48 and one of them quickly ran to get a sponge which he filled with
vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink. 49 But the rest of
them said, 'Wait! And see if Elijah will come to save him.' 50 But Jesus, again
crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit. 51 And suddenly, the veil of
the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, the rocks
were split, 52 the tombs opened and the bodies of many holy people rose from
the dead, 53 and these, after his resurrection, came out of the tombs, entered
the holy city and appeared to a number of people. 54 The centurion, together
with the others guarding Jesus, had seen the earthquake and all that was taking
place, and they were terrified and said, 'In truth this man was son of God.' 55
And many women were there, watching from a distance, the same women who had
followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him. 56 Among them were Mary of
Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.
Matthew 27:57-61: Jesus
is buried
Jesus is not even
buried decently
57 When it was
evening, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, called Joseph, who had himself
become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body
of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. 59 So Joseph took the body,
wrapped it in a clean shroud 60 and put it in his own new tomb which he had
hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the
tomb and went away. 61 Now Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were there,
sitting opposite the sepulchre.
Matthew 27:62-66: The
guard of the tumult
Darkness, even the
most intense, cannot extinguish life
62 Next day, that is,
when Preparation Day was over, the chief priests and the Pharisees went in a
body to Pilate 63 and said to him, 'Your Excellency, we recall that this
impostor said, while he was still alive, "After three days I shall rise
again." 64 Therefore give the order to have the sepulchre kept secure
until the third day, for fear his disciples come and steal him away and tell
the people, "He has risen from the dead." This last piece of fraud
would be worse than what went before.' 65 Pilate said to them, 'You may have
your guard; go and make all as secure as you know how.' 66 So they went and
made the sepulchre secure, putting seals on the stone and mounting a guard.
4. Some
thoughts
to help us meditate
and pray.
a) The death of Jesus:
From midday to three
in the afternoon, it is dark over the whole earth. Even nature feels the effect
of the agony and death of Jesus! Hanging on the cross, deprived of everything,
a lament escapes from his lips: “Eli! Eli! Lama Sabactani?” That is: “My God!
My God! Why have you forsaken me?” This is the first sentence of Psalm 22(21).
Jesus goes into his death praying, expressing the forsakenness he feels. He
prays in Hebrew. The soldiers who were standing by and who were guarding him,
say: “He is calling on Elijah!” The soldiers were foreigners, mercenaries on
contract to the Romans. They did not understand the language of the Jews. They
thought that Eli meant Elijah. Hanging on the cross, Jesus feels totally
isolated. Even if he wanted to say something to someone, it was not possible.
He was completely alone: Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him, the disciples
ran away, friends kept themselves apart (v.55), the authorities derided him,
the passers by insulted him, God himself abandoned him, and his language was
useless for communicating. This is the price he paid for being faithful to his
option to follow at all times the way of love and service in order to redeem
his brothers and sisters. “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve
and to give his life for the redemption of many” (Mt 20:28). In the midst of
abandonment and darkness, Jesus lets out a loud cry and dies. He dies letting
out the cry of the poor because he knows that God listens to the cry of the
poor (Ex 2:24; 3:7; 22:22.26 etc). With this belief, Jesus enters into death,
certain of being heard. The letter to the Hebrews says: “he offered up prayer
and entreaty, with loud cries and with tears, to the one who had the power to
save him from death, and, winning a hearing by his reverence, he learnt
obedience, (Heb 5:7). God heard his cry and “exalted him” (Phil 2:9). The
resurrection is God’s answer to prayer and to the offering Jesus made of his
life. With the resurrection of Jesus, the Father proclaims to the whole world
this Good News: Those who live like Jesus serving the brothers and sisters, are
victorious and will live forever, even though they may die and even though they
may be killed! This is the Good News of the Kingdom born from the cross!
b) The significance of
the death of Jesus:
On Calvary, we are
before a tortured human being, one excluded from society, completely isolated,
condemned as a heretic and subversive by the civil, military and religious
courts. At the foot of the cross the religious authorities confirm for the last
time a failed rebellion, and publicly renounce him (Mt 27:41-43). And it is at
this hour of death that a new significance comes to life again. The identity of
Jesus is revealed by a pagan: “In truth this man was son of God!” (Mt 27:54).
From this point on, if you really wish to meet the Son of God, do not seek him
up above in the far away heavens, nor in the Temple whose veil was torn, but
seek him close to you, in the excluded, disfigured, ugly human being. Seek him
in those, who like Jesus, give their lives for their brothers and sisters. It
is there that God hides himself and reveals himself, and it is there that we
can meet Him. There we find the disfigured image of God, of the Son of God.
“Greater love than this there no one has than to give one’s life for the
brothers and sisters!.”
5. The
prayer of a Psalm
The psalms that Jesus
recites on the Cross:
Psalm 22 (21), 2: “My
God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 31 (30), 6: “To
your hands I commit my spirit.”
6. Final
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank
for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father.
May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice
that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not
only listen to but also practise the Word. You who live and reign with the
Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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