April 13, 2025
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
Lectionary: 37 and 38
At the procession with palms
- Gospel
Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples.
He said, "Go into the village opposite you,
and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered
on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
And if anyone should ask you,
'Why are you untying it?'
you will answer,
'The Master has need of it.'"
So those who had been sent went off
and found everything just as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them,
"Why are you untying this colt?"
They answered,
"The Master has need of it."
So they brought it to Jesus,
threw their cloaks over the colt,
and helped Jesus to mount.
As he rode along,
the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
They proclaimed:
"Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest."
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him,
"Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
He said in reply,
"I tell you, if they keep silent,
the stones will cry out!"
At the Mass – Reading I
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
Psalm
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
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
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
When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
"Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes."
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me."
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.
"And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed."
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.
Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors';
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers."
He said to him,
"Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you."
But he replied,
"I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me."
He said to them,
"When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?"
"No, nothing, " they replied.
He said to them,
"But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment."
Then they said,
"Lord, look, there are two swords here."
But he replied, "It is enough!"
Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
"Pray that you may not undergo the test."
After withdrawing about a stone's throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done."
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, "Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test."
While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
"Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
"Lord, shall we strike with a sword?"
And one of them struck the high priest's servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
"Stop, no more of this!"
Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness."
After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
"This man too was with him."
But he denied it saying,
"Woman, I do not know him."
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
"You too are one of them";
but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not."
About an hour later, still another insisted,
"Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean."
But Peter said,
"My friend, I do not know what you are talking about."
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
"Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
"Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?"
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.
When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, "If you are the Christ, tell us, "
but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God."
They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied to them, "You say that I am."
Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth."
Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
"We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king."
Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
"I find this man not guilty."
But they were adamant and said,
"He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here."
On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, "You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."
But all together they shouted out,
"Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us."
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
"Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Pilate addressed them a third time,
"What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.
As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
'Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.'
At that time people will say to the mountains,
'Fall upon us!'
and to the hills, 'Cover us!'
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?"
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
"He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God."
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."
Above him there was an inscription that read,
"This is the King of the Jews."
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us."
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
"Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal."
Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise."
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit";
and when he had said this he breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
"This man was innocent beyond doubt."
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.
Or
The elders of the people, chief priests and scribes,
arose and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
"We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king."
Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
"I find this man not guilty."
But they were adamant and said,
"He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here."
On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, "You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."
But all together they shouted out,
"Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us."
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
"Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Pilate addressed them a third time,
"What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.
As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
'Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.'
At that time people will say to the mountains,
'Fall upon us!'
and to the hills, 'Cover us!'
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?"
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
"He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God."
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."
Above him there was an inscription that read,
"This is the King of the Jews."
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us."
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
"Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal."
Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise."
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit";
and when he had said this he breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
"This man was innocent beyond doubt."
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle
saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041325.cfm
Commentary on Isaiah
50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14—23:56
After five weeks of preparation we now enter the climax of
the Lenten season and what we call Holy Week. In a way, the whole week from
today until Easter Sunday should be seen as one unit—the presentation of the
Paschal Mystery. This Paschal Mystery includes the suffering, death,
resurrection and ascension of Jesus into glory and the sending of the Spirit on
the disciples of Jesus to continue the work he began. Although it is, for
liturgical and catechetical reasons, spread over a period of seven weeks, it should
also be seen as an indivisible single experience. This week sees the climax of
the mission of Jesus Christ in which the deepest meaning of his life is
unfolded, and in which his teaching becomes incarnated in his own words and
actions.
Today’s celebration (for, strange to say, the terrible
happenings we are about to listen to are truly a cause for celebration on our
part) is divided into two distinct parts: the procession with palms and the
Mass proper. (The particular Mass you attend may not include both parts, as
many parishes will only do the first part at one of the day’s Masses.)
Joy and triumph
In the first part the prevailing atmosphere is one of joy, and the vestments in
today’s liturgy are a triumphant red and not the violet which has prevailed
during the other days of Lent. And the reading from the Gospel in this first
part recalls the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as King. He gets a rapturous
reception from the crowd who acclaim him with words we still use in the “Holy,
holy, holy…” of the preface to the Eucharistic Prayer. This scene is important,
for in a few days’ time, the same triumphant Jesus will be reduced to a
battered wreck of humanity:
So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the
purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” [Latin, Ecce
homo!].
As we process through our church, with our palms (or their
equivalent) in our hands, we too may sing with enthusiasm:
“Christ conquers, Christ is king, Christ is our ruler”
(Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat).
There is a difference in our case for we know the end of the
story and what is to come. Because of that, we sing with even greater
conviction about the greatness of Jesus and a realisation of just why he is our
King.
But even here there is shadow. For not all are spreading
their clothes on the ground for Jesus to walk over or waving their branches.
His enemies are watching and what they see only gives greater urgency to their
desire to see the end of Jesus. In one way, they will succeed with a frightening
ruthlessness to destroy Jesus. But of course, they will also fail utterly. Our
presence here today is proof enough of that.
The mind of Christ
In a way the real key to Holy Week is given in today’s Second Reading, which
seems to be a hymn, incorporated by Paul in his letter to the Christians at
Philippi, in northern Greece. It expresses the ‘mind’, the thinking of Jesus, a
mind which Paul urges us to have also if we want to identify fully with Jesus
as disciples:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…
(Phil 2:5)
The key word in today’s passage from Paul is “emptied.”
This kenosis, or emptying, is at the heart of Jesus’ experience during
his Passion.
In spite of Jesus’ identity with the nature of God, he did
not insist on his status. He first of all took on himself in the fullest sense
our human nature:
…who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet
without sin. (Heb 4:15)
But even more, he reached down to the lowest level, the
lowest class of human beings—the servant, the slave. That was still not the
end. He let go of all human dignity, all human rights; he let go of life itself
to die, not any “respectable” form of death, but the death of a convicted
criminal in shame and nakedness and total abandonment.
To understand the sufferings, death and resurrection of
Jesus one must fully grasp what Paul is saying here and, not only grasp it, but
totally appropriate it into one’s own thinking so that one would be prepared,
with God’s help, to go exactly the same way. Our normal sensitivities over even
trifling hurts show us just how far we have to go to have the “mind of of the
Lord.”
With the focus of the first two readings, we are now—hopefully—prepared
for listening to Luke’s version of the Passion of Jesus, up to, but excluding
the climax of resurrection.
So much to reflect on
Although efforts are now made to make the listening to the Passion less of an
endurance test, there really is too much to be fully digested as we stand
listening to one or three readers. Perhaps we should set aside a short period
later in the day to go through the dramatic telling more at our leisure. Or
perhaps we could focus on a particular passage which speaks to us more at this
time.
There is:
- the
last meal of Jesus with his disciples—a bitter-sweet experience for all;
- Jesus’
struggle with fear (even terror) and loneliness in the garden, ending in a
sense of peace and acceptance;
- Peter’s
denial of ever having known Jesus, the same Jesus with whom he had just
eaten and who had invited him into the garden;
- the
kiss of Judas, another disciple, sealing the fate of Jesus, and leading to
bitter remorse and suicide;
- the
rigged trial before the religious leaders and again before the
contemptuous, cynical Pilate and the brief appearance before the
superstitious and fearful Herod;
- the
torture, humiliation and degradation of Jesus;
- the
way of Calvary—the weeping women and the reluctant Simon of Cyrene;
- the
crowds, so supportive on Sunday, who now laugh and mock;
- the
murderous gangster promised eternal happiness that very day;
- the
last words of forgiveness and total surrender (emptying) to the Father.
The drama is truly overpowering and needs really to be
absorbed one incident at a time. It would be worth reflecting in which of these
scenes I can see myself—with which characters I can identify as reacting in the
way I probably would.
Jesus—the focal point
Through it all there is Jesus. His enemies humiliate him, strike him and
scourge him. Soldiers make a crown with thorns, a crown for the “King of the
Jews” (an element of contemptuous racism here?), and Herod mocks him. Pilate,
Roman-trained, makes a half-hearted attempt at justice, but his fear for his
career prevails.
Jesus, for his part, does not strike back; he does not
scold; he does not accuse or blame. He begs his Father to:
…forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
Jesus seems to be the victim, but all through he is, in
fact, the master. He is master of the situation because he is master of
himself.
So, as we go through this day and this week, let us look
very carefully at Jesus our Saviour. We watch, not just to admire, but also to
learn, and to penetrate the mind, the thinking, the attitudes and the values of
Jesus so that we, in the very different circumstances of our own lives, may
walk in his footsteps.
If we are to be his disciples, he invites us to walk his
way, to share his sufferings, to imitate his attitudes, to ‘empty’ ourselves,
to live in service of others—in short, to love others as he loves us. This is
not at all a call to a life of pain and misery. Quite the contrary, it is an
invitation to a life of deep freedom, peace and happiness. If it were anything
else, it would not be worth considering.
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https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/lc061/
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Palm Sunday
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit,
poured out on the world by
the divine Dying, guide us to contemplate and understand the way of the cross
of our Savior and the love with which He walked this way. Grant us eyes and
hearts of true believers, so that we may perceive the glorious mystery of the
cross.
«Thanks to the cross we no longer
wander through the desert, because we know the true path; we no longer live
outside the house of God, our King, because we have found the entrance to it;
we no longer fear the fiery spears of the devil, because we have found a spring
of water.
Through him we are no longer alone, because we have
found the spouse again; we do not fear the world, because now we have found the
Good Shepherd. Thanks to the cross the injustice of the powerful does not
frighten us, because we sit at table with the King» (cfr John Chrisostome). Gospel Reading – Luke 22: 14-23: 56
A Key to the Reading:
The liturgical context: the ancient tradition of proclaiming
the Gospel of the passion and death of Jesus Christ during the celebration of
the Sunday before Easter, goes back to the time when the celebrations of Holy
Week were reduced to a minimum. The aim of the reading is to lead the hearers
to contemplate the mystery of the death that prepares for the resurrection of
the Lord and that, therefore, is the condition by which the believer enters
into the “new life” in Christ. The custom of reading this long Gospel passage in
parts, not only helps to make the reading less monotonous so as to facilitate
an attentive listening, but also in order to involve emotionally the
participation of the listeners, almost making them feel present and taking part
in the narrative. The two readings before the Gospel of this Sunday help us
with an interpretation that gives a certain perspective to the text: the
Servant of JHWH is Jesus, the Christ, a divine Person who, through his
ignominious death, comes into the glory of God the Father and communicates his
own life to those who listen to him and welcome him.
The Gospel context: it is well known that the literary
nucleus around which the Gospels were written was the Pasch of the Lord: his
passion, death and resurrection. We have here, therefore, a text that is
ancient and homogeneous in its literary composition, even though it was written
through a gradual process. However, its importance is paramount: in it we are
told the fundamental event of the Christian faith, that which every believer must
face and conform to (even though the text of the liturgy of this Sunday ends
with the burial of Jesus).
As usual, Luke comes
through as an efficient and delicate narrator who pays attention to details and
is capable of letting the reader glimpse something of the feelings and inner
motivations of the main characters, above all of Jesus. The terrible and unjust
suffering Jesus undergoes is filtered through his unalterable attitude of mercy
towards all, even his persecutors and murderers. Some of these are touched by
the way he faces suffering and death, so much so that they show signs of faith
in him: the torment of the passion is rendered soft by the power of the divine
love of Jesus.
In the context of the third
Gospel, Jesus goes to the Holy City only once: that decisive moment for the
human history of the Christ and for the history of salvation. The whole of
Luke’s Gospel is like a long preparation for the events of the last days that
Jesus passes in Jerusalem, preaching and acting at times even grandiosely (esp.
the driving of the merchants from the Temple 19: 45-48), at other times
mysteriously or in a provoking manner (esp. the reply concerning the tribute to
Caesar, 20: 19-26). It is not by chance that the Evangelist puts together in
these last days many events and words that the other Synoptic Gospels place
elsewhere in the public life of Jesus. All this takes place while the plot of
the chiefs of the nation thickens and becomes ever more concrete, until Judas
offers them a perfect and unexpected chance (22: 2-6).
In this last and definitive
stage of the life of the Lord, the third Evangelist uses various terms such as
a “passing” or an “exodus” (9: 31), a “taking up” (9: 51) and an “attaining of
the end” (13: 32). Thus, Luke leads us to understand, before the fact, how to
interpret the terrible and scandalous death of the Christ to whom they had
entrusted their life: He accomplishes a painful and difficult stage to
understand, but one “necessary” in the economy of salvation (9: 22; 13: 33; 17:
35; 22: 37) in order to bring to success (“fulfilment”) his journey towards
glory (cfr 24: 26; 17: 25). This journey of Jesus is the paradigm of the
journey to be achieved by each of his disciples (Acts 14: 22).
A Division of the Text to Help in Its
Reading:
•
The story of the last supper: from 22: 7 to 22:
38;
•
The prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani:
from 22: 39 to 22: 46;
•
The arresting and the Jewish process: from 22:
47 to 22: 71
•
The civil process before Pilate and Herod: from
23: 1 to 23: 25
•
The sentence, crucifixion, and death: from 23:
26 to 23: 49
•
Events after the death: from 23: 50 to 23: 56. The Text:
•
The Story
of the Last Supper
14 And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the
apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to
eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you I shall not eat
it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 And he took a cup, and
when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among
yourselves; 18 for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit
of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19 And he took bread, and
when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is
my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 20 And
likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for
you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold the hand of him who betrays
me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of man goes as it has been
determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" 23 And they began
to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.
24 A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to
be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, "The kings of the
Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are
called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you
become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For which is the
greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits
at table? But I am among you as one who serves.
28 "You are those who have
continued with me in my trials; 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned
to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and
sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of
Israel.
31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,
that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith
may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren."
33 And he said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to
death." 34 He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this
day, until you three times deny that you know me."
35 And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no
purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said,
"Nothing." 36 He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse
take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and
buy one. 37 For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, 'And he
was reckoned with transgressors'; for what is written about me has its
fulfilment." 38 And they said, "Look, Lord, here are two
swords." And he said to them, "It is enough."
•
The
Prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani
39
And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to
the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the
place he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."
41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
42 "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not
my will, but thine, be done." 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to
the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them,
"Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into
temptation."
•
The
Arresting and the Jewish Process
47 While he was still
speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was
leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him; 48 but Jesus said to him,
"Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?" 49 And when
those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we
strike with the sword?" 50 And one of them struck the slave of the high
priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, "No more of
this!" And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the
chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against
him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53
When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me.
But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him
into the high priest's house. Peter followed at a distance; 55 and when they
had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter
sat among them. 56 Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at
him, said, "This man also was with him." 57 But he denied it, saying,
"Woman, I do not know him." 58 And a little later someone else saw
him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man,
I am not." 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another
insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a
Galilean." 60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are
saying." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. 61
And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the
Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny
me three times." 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.63 Now the men who
were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; 64 they also blindfolded him and
asked him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" 65 And they spoke
many other words against him, reviling him
66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people
gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to
their council, and they said, 67 "If you are the Christ, tell us."
But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I ask
you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of man shall be seated at
the right hand of the power of God." 70 And they all said, "Are you
the Son of God, then?" And he said to them, "You say that I am."
71 And they said, "What further testimony do we need? We have heard it
ourselves from his own lips."
•
The Civil
Process before Pilate and Herod
1 Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him
before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man
perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying
that he himself is Christ a king." 3 And Pilate asked him, "Are you
the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so."
4 And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no
crime in this man." 5 But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up the
people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place."
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a
Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he
sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod
saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had
heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he
questioned him at some length; but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and
the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers
treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous
apparel, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends
with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with
each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the
rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as
one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold,
I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him; 15 neither
did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been
done by him; 16 I will therefore chastise him and release him."
18 But they all cried out together, "Away with this man,
and release to us Barabbas"-- 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for
an insurrection started in the city, and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them
once more, desiring to release Jesus; 21 but they shouted out, "Crucify,
crucify him!" 22 A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he
done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise
him and release him." 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries
that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave
sentence that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had
been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but
Jesus he delivered up to their will.
•
The
Sentence, Crucifixion and Death
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of
Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry
it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and
of women who bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning to them said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and
for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say,
'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that
never gave suck!' 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on
us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' 31 For if they do this when the wood is
green, what will happen when it is dry?"
32 Two others also, who were
criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to
the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the
criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 And Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast
lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the
rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if
he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" 36 The soldiers also mocked him,
coming up and offering him vinegar, 37 and saying, "If you are the King of
the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him,
"This is the King of the Jews."
39
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at
him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40 But
the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under
the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we are
receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing
wrong." 42 And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your
kingdom." 43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will
be with me in Paradise."
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness
over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun's light failed; and
the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud
voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having
said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken
place, he praised God, and said, "Certainly this man was innocent!"
48 And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what
had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his
acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a
distance and saw these things.
•
Events
after the Death
50 Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town
of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who
had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom
of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he
took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn
tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation,
and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee
followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; 56 then they returned,
and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the
commandment.
A Moment of Prayerful Silence
so that the Word of God may enter into our hearts and
shed light on our lives.
A Few Questions
to help us in our meditation and prayer.
•
At the end of this long reading, what feeling
prevails in me: is it relief for having come to the end, admiration for Jesus,
pain for his pain, joy for the salvation achieved, or something else?
•
I re-read the text and pay special attention to
the way the many “powerful” acted: the priests, the Scribes and Pharisees,
Pilate, Herod. What do I think of them? How would I have thought, acted,
spoken, and decided in their place?
•
I read the passion once more and, this time, pay
attention to the action of the “little ones”: the disciples, the people,
individuals, the women, the soldiers and others. What do I think of them? How
would I have acted, thought and spoken in their place?
•
Finally, I look at my way of acting in my daily
life. With which of the main or lesser characters can I identify myself? With
which character would I like to identify myself?
A Key to the Reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the theme.
A Commentary on the Text with Special
Emphasis on Some Key Points:
•
22: 14: When the hour came he took his place at
table, and the apostles with him: Although Luke is writing for a Christian
community mostly of pagan origin, yet he stresses that the last supper of Jesus
is part of the Jewish rite of pesah. Just before the supper he describes the
preparations (vv. 7-13).
•
22: 15: I have longed to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer: this recalls the words in 12: 50: “There is a baptism I
must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over! (cfr also Jn
12: 32). Luke gives us a ray of light on the interior dimension of Jesus as he
prepares to suffer and die: what urges him is, as always for him, the radical
choice of conforming to the will of the Father (cfr 2: 49), but in these words
we glimpse a very human desire for fraternity, for sharing and for friendship.
•
22: 17: Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks: we
have not yet come to the eucharistic chalice strictly speaking, but only to the
first of four cups of wine that are drunk at a paschal meal.
•
22: 18: From now on, I tell you, I shall not drink
wine until the kingdom of God comes: this is the second explicit reference
to his nearing death. It is a repetition of the proclamations concerning the
passion (9: 22, 44; 12: 50; 18: 3132) and, like those, it refers implicitly to
the resurrection. However, the proclamation, even in all the seriousness of the
moment, contains intimations of hope and of the eschatological expectation,
together with the certainty that the Father will not abandon him to death.
Jesus is aware of what he has to face, but is quite serene, interiorly free,
certain of his final destiny and of the final results of what he is about to
experience.
•
22:
19-20: the story of the Eucharistic institution is quite similar to the one
mentioned in Paul (1Cor 11: 23-25) and has a pronounced sacrificial character:
Jesus offers himself, not things, as an oblation for those who believe in him.
•
22: 21: Here with me on the table is the hand of the
man who betrays me: eating with him, Jesus allows even Judas to enter into
communion with him, and yet he knows well that this disciple is about to betray
him definitively. The contrast is strident and made so on purpose by the
Evangelist, as is true also elsewhere in this passage.
•
22: 28: You are the men who have stood by me
faithfully in my trials: unlike Judas, the other disciples have “stood by
Jesus in his trials,” because they have stayed with him at least up to the
present moment. The Lord, then, acknowledges that they have reached a high
level of communion with him so that they deserve special honor in the glory of
the Father (v. 29).
It is Jesus himself, then, who creates a
close parallel between the constant communion of his disciples (those of then
and those of today) with his suffering and the final and eternal sharing in his
glory (“eat and drink,” v. 30).
•
22:
31-37: Simon, Simon! Satan, you must know, has got his wish to sift you all
like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail:
this passage seems to come from another context. Jesus’ reference to Satan and
his actions against the disciples recalls what the Evangelist had said
concerning the cause of the betrayal of Judas (22: 3) and is almost parallel
with Luke’s view of the passion as the final assault of Satan against Jesus
(cfr
4: 13; 22: 53).
Peter is protected from the snares of the
tempter by the prayers of Jesus himself and because he chose firmly to be a
disciple of the Lord, also because he has a special mission towards his
brothers and sisters in the faith (v. 32b). Jesus hastens to warn him: for him,
as for the other disciples too, the terrible passion of Jesus will cost them a
hard fight against Satan and many ambushes that, in various forms, will assail
the disciples who will be close to Jesus during the various stages of the
passion (vv. 35-36) on account of the terrible trial that he will have to
endure (v. 37); these last words explicitly refer to the text in Isaiah
concerning the “suffering Servant” (Is 53: 12), with whom Jesus is clearly
identified.
•
22:
33-34: Lord… I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death… I
tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three
times that you know me: Peter is a generous man, also a little impatient, as we
see from his words, which seem to force Jesus to tell him about the denials. As
in verses 24-27 the chiefs of the Christian community were faced with their
responsibility as “servants” of the faith of the brothers and sisters entrusted
to them, so now they are reminded of their duty is to be prudent and vigilant towards
themselves and towards their weakness.
•
22:
39-46: the story of the moral-spiritual agony in the garden of Gethsemani
follows closely the text of Mark (14: 32-42), except for some details,
especially those referring to the consoling appearance of the angel (v. 43).
As the most difficult and insidious moment
of his life approaches, Jesus intensifies his prayer. As Luke says, Gethsemani
was the “usual” (v. 37) place where Jesus often spent nights in (21: 37).
•
22:
47-53: The real passion begins with the seizure of Jesus. This passage
presents the following events as “the reign of darkness” (v. 53) and shows Jesus as he who overcomes and will overcome
violence by patience and the ability to love even his persecutors (v. 51); that
is why the sad but loving words he addresses to Judas stand out: "Judas,
are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? (v. 48).
•
22:
54-71: The Jewish process does not evolve that night. Nothing is said of
Jesus as prisoner until morning. This lack of news concerning Jesus immediately
after his arrest and until the beginning of the case is typical of Luke.
•
22:
60-62: “My friend,” said Peter, “I do not know what you are talking
about"… the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter and Peter remembered
what the Lord had said… And he went outside and wept bitterly: the two looks
meeting each other, who knows how they happened in the confusion of that
interminable night, mark the moment when Peter becomes aware: notwithstanding
his gallant declarations of fidelity, he realizes what Jesus had told him a
little earlier. In that look, Peter experiences first-hand the mercy of the
Lord of which he had heard Jesus talking: it does not hide the reality of sin,
but heals it and brings men and women back to a full awareness of their own condition
and of the personal love of God for them.
•
22:
70-71: So you are the Son of God then? … It is you who say I am… What need
of witness have we now? We have heard it for ourselves from his own lips: the
Jewish process begins officially at first dawn of that day (v. 66) and
concentrates on seeking proofs (some true, in Luke, but cfr Mk 14: 55-59) to
sentence Jesus to death. According to Luke, then, the chiefs of the Jews did
not bring forth false witnesses, but – even in their savage aversion towards Jesus
– they behaved towards him in a somewhat correct juridical manner. In replying positively to the question “You
are the Son of God then?” Jesus shows that he is fully aware of his divine
dignity. Through this awareness, his suffering, death and resurrection are
eloquent witness of the benign will of the Father towards humanity. Thus,
however, he “signs” his own sentence of death: it is a blasphemy that profanes
the Name and the very being of JHWH since he declares himself explicitly to be
“son.”
23:3-5: Are you the king of the Jews? … It is you
who say it… He is inflaming the people with his teaching: we are passing
from a Jewish juridical process to a Roman one: the Jewish chiefs hand over the
condemned person to the governor so that he may carry out their sentence and,
to give him an acceptable reason, they “domesticate” the movements of their
sentence, presenting them in a political light. Thus, Jesus is presented as
subverting the people and usurping the royal title of Israel (which by then was
but a memory and a purely honorific title).
The means used by Jesus to carry out his
crime, as chance would have it, is his preaching: the words of peace and mercy
that he spread freely are now used against him!
Jesus confirms the accusation, but it is
certain that he is not accused of seeking royal status, only one of the
reflections of his divine nature. This, however, neither Pilate nor the others
are able to understand.
•
23:6-12: He
passed him over to Herod: Perhaps Pilate intuited that they were trying to play
a “dirty trick” on him, so he probably tries to distance himself from the
prisoner by invoking respect for jurisdiction: Jesus comes from a district,
which at that historical time, did not come under Roman responsibility but that
of Herod Antipas.
The latter is presented in the Gospels as
someone quite ambiguous: he admires and at the same time is averse to John the
Baptist, because the prophet had taken him to task over his matrimonial
position, which was irregular and almost incestuous, and finally has him
arrested and then put to death so as not to cut a poor figure before his guests
(3: 19-20; Mk 6: 17-29). Then he tries to get to know Jesus just out of
curiosity, because he had heard of his fame as a worker of miracles, and he
concocts a case against him (v. 10), He questions Jesus personally, but then –
before the obstinate silence of Jesus (v. 9) – leaves him to the mockery of the
soldiers, as had happened at the end of the religious process (22: 63-65) and
as will happen when Jesus is crucified (vv.
35-38). He ends up sending Jesus back to
Pilate.
Luke concludes this episode with an
interesting footnote: Pilate’s gesture begins a new friendship between him and
Herod. The circumstances speak clearly as to the purity of the motivation of
this friendship.
•
23:
13-25: You brought this man before me… as a political agitator; …I have
found no case against the man in respect of the charges you bring against him:
as he suspected from the first meeting with Jesus (v. 4) and as he will repeat
later (v. 22), Pilate pronounces him innocent. He tries to convince the chiefs
of the people to let Jesus go, but they have already decided that he should die
(vv. 18, 21, 23) and insist on a sentence of death.
What is the substance of the interrogation
of the governor? Not much, according to the few phrases that Luke reports (v.
3). And yet, Jesus replied positively to Pilate, declaring himself “king of the
Jews”! At this point, it is clear that Pilate does not consider Jesus a
dangerous man on the political level, nor for public order, perhaps because the
tone of Jesus’ declaration left no doubt on these scores.
The
intention of the Evangelist is quite clear in that he seeks to attenuate the
responsibility of the Roman governor. The latter, however, is known from
historical sources as a “man of inflexible nature and, on top of his arrogance,
hard, capable only of extortion, violence, robbery, brutality, torture,
executions without trial and fearful and unlimited cruelty” (Philo of
Alexandria) and that “he liked to provoke the nations entrusted to him,
sometimes by being rude and at other times by hard repression (Josephus
Flavius).
•
23:16.22:
I shall have him punished and then
let him go…: the fact that Jesus was held to be innocent would not have
spared him a hard “punishment,” inflicted solely so as not to let down the
expectations of the chiefs of the Jews.
•
23:16.18.25:
Away with him! Give us Barabbas! He released the man they asked for, who
had been imprisoned for rioting and murder, and handed Jesus over to them to
deal with as they pleased: in the end, Pilate gives in completely to the
insistent demands of the chiefs of the people, even though he does not
pronounce any formal sentence on Jesus.
Barabbas, a real delinquent and
political agitator, thus becomes the first person saved (at least at that
moment) by the sacrifice of Jesus.
•
23:26-27:
They seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the
country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. Large
numbers of people followed him, and of women too, who mourned and lamented for
him: Simon and the women were not only privileged witnesses
of the passion, but, in Luke, they are models of
discipleship, people who show in action to the reader how to follow the Lord.
Besides, thanks to them and to the crowd Jesus is not alone as he approaches
death, but is surrounded by men and women who are deeply and emotionally close
to him, even though they need conversion, a matter that he recalls to them in
spite of his terrible condition (vv. 28-31).
Simon of Cyrene is “seized,” but Luke does
not say that he was reluctant to help the Lord (cfr Mk 15: 20-21).
The
“large numbers of people” is also quite involved in what is happening to Jesus.
This is in strident contrast with the crowd that, a little earlier, was
demanding the sentence of death from Pilate.
•
23: 34: Father, forgive them; they do not know what
they are doing: Luke brings out the main concern of the crucified Lord who,
in spite of being in atrocious physical pain from the process of crucifixion,
prays for them to the Father: he is not concerned with his own condition nor
with the historical causes that produced it, but only with the salvation of all
humankind. Stephen the martyr will act like Him (Acts 7: 60), to show the
paradigmatic character of the life and death of Jesus for the existence of
every Christian. To emphasize this strong
orientation of Jesus, Luke omits the anguished cry reported by the other
Synoptic Gospels: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
•
23: 33,
39-43: They crucified him there and the two criminals… Jesus… remember me
when you come into your kingdom… Indeed, I promise you… today you will be with
me in paradise: the episode of the dialogue with one of his condemned
companions is emblematic of the way Luke understands the death of Jesus: an act
of self-giving made for love and in love to bring salvation to the greatest number
of people in whatever condition or situation they may find themselves.
“Today” (v. 43): the thief had spoken in the
future, but Jesus replies using a verb in the present: the salvation He gives
is immediate, the “final days” begin with this saving event.
“You will be with me” (v. 43): this
expression indicates the full communion in force between God and those he
welcomes to himself in eternity (cfr 1 Thes 4:
17). According to some apocryphal writings
of the late Judaic period, the
Messiah himself had “to open the
gates of paradise.”
•
23:
44-46: It was now about the sixth hour… Jesus cried out in a loud voice, he
said, Father into your hands I commit my spirit. With these words he breathed
his last: Jesus’ last words, by their good nature, seem to contrast with the
preceding declaration that he cried aloud.
Having come to the end of his human life,
Jesus, makes a supreme act of trust in the Father, for whose will He had
suffered so much. In these words we can glimpse a hint at the resurrection: the
Father will hand him back this life that Jesus now entrusts to him (cfr Ps 16:
10; Acts 2: 27; 13: 35).
Luke writes very concisely of the last
moments of Jesus: he is not interested in dwelling on details that would offer
satisfaction to some macabre curiosity, like the one that drew and still draws
so many spectators at a capital sentence in many squares of the world.
•
23:
47-48: When the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God: “This
was a great and good man.” So too the crowds went home beating their breasts:
the saving efficacy of the sacrifice of Jesus acts almost immediately simply on
the evidence of what had happened: pagans (such as the centurion who commanded
the platoon in charge of the execution) the Jews (the people) begin to change. The
centurion “glorifies God” and seems to be just a step from becoming a Christian
believer. The Jewish people, perhaps without being aware, go back using
gestures of repentance as Jesus had asked of the women of Jerusalem (v. 38).
•
23: 49: All those who knew him watched from afar:
at a prudent distance, knowing the Roman attitude that forbade excessive
gestures of mourning for those condemned to be crucified (on pain of being
crucified themselves), the group of disciples is present dumbfounded by the
whole scene. Luke gives no hint as to their emotions or attitudes: perhaps the
pain and violence dazed them to the point of making them incapable of any
outward reaction.
Similarly, the women disciples do not take
part in any way in the work done by Joseph of Arimathea for the burial of
Jesus: they just watch (v. 55).
•
23: 53:
Joseph took him down from the cross, wrapped him in a sheet and placed him in a
tomb dug in the rock: Jesus has really undergone torture. He is really dead,
like so many others before and after him, on the cross, in a common body of
flesh. This event, without which there would be no salvation or eternal life
for anyone, is verified by the fact that it is necessary to bury him. This is
so true that Luke expands on some details concerning the speed with which the
rite of burial was carried out by Joseph (vv. 52-54).
•
23: 56:
On the Sabbath they observed the day of rest, according to the commandment: as
the Creator rested on the seventh day of creation, thus consecrating the
Sabbath (Gn 2: 2-3), so now the Lord observes the Sabbath in the tomb.
None of his people, now, seem to be able to
hope for anything: Jesus’ words concerning the resurrection seem to have been
forgotten. The women limit themselves to preparing some oils to make the burial
of the Master a little more dignified.
The Gospel of this “Passion Sunday”
concludes here, leaving out the story of the discovery of the empty tomb (24:
1-12) and allowing us to savor the bitter sweet sacrifice of the lamb of God,
we are left in a sad and suspended state where we remain immersed, even though
we know the final result of the Gospel story. This terrible death of the young
Rabbi of Nazareth does not lose its significance in his resurrection, but
acquires an entirely new and unexpected value, which does not take away
anything from the dimension of having been killed in sacrifice freely accepted
because of the “excessively” high respect for our human powers of
understanding: it is pure mystery.
Isaiah 50: 4-10
"The Lord God Helps Me"
The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word
him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens,
he wakens my ear to hear as those who
are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious, I
turned not backward. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who
pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been confounded;
therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put
to shame;
he who vindicates me is near. Who
will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me. Behold, the
Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them
will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Who among you fears
the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no
light, yet trusts in the name of the Lord and relies upon his God?
Closing Prayer
of the Eucharistic prayer for this Sunday
Almighty and eternal God,
you have given the human race Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of humility.
He fulfilled your will by becoming man and giving his life on the cross. Help
us to bear witness to you by following his example of suffering and make us
worthy to share in his resurrection.
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