Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Today again our Saviour sets out in the morning for Jerusalem. His intention is to repair to the temple, and continue His yesterday’s teachings. It is evident that His mission on earth is fast drawing to its close. He says to His disciples: “You know that after two days will be the Pasch, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified (Matthew xxvi. 2). On the road from Bethany to Jerusalem the disciples are surprised at seeing the fig tree which their Divine Master had yesterday cursed, now dead. Addressing himself to Jesus, Peter says: “Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which you cursed is withered away” (Mark xi. 21). In order to teach us that the whole of material nature is subservient to the spiritual element when this last is united to God by faith, Jesus replies: “Have the faith of God. Amen I say to you, that whoever will say to this mountain: Be removed and cast into the sea! and will not stagger in his heart, but believe, that whatever he says will be done, it will be done to him” (Mark xi. 22, 23).
Having entered the city, Jesus directs His steps towards the Temple. No sooner has He entered than the Chief Priests, the Scribes and the Ancients of the people, accost him with these words: “By what authority do you these things? and who has given you this authority, that you should do these things?” (Mark xi. 28). We will find our Lord’s answer given in the Gospel. Our object is to mention the leading events of the last days of our Redeemer on earth. The holy Volume will supply the details.
As on the two preceding days, Jesus leaves the city towards evening: He passes over Mount Olivet and returns to Bethany where he finds His Blessed Mother and His devoted friends. In today’s Mass, the Church reads the history of the Passion according to Saint Mark who wrote his Gospel the next after Saint Matthew: hence it is that the second place is assigned to him. His account of the Passion is shorter than Saint Matthew’s, of which it would often seem to be a summary, and yet certain details are peculiar to this Evangelist and prove him to have been an eye-witness. Our readers are aware that Saint Mark was the disciple of Saint Peter, and that his Gospel was written under the very eye of the Prince of the Apostles.
Lesson – Jeremias xi. 18‒20
In those days Jeremias said: “You, O Lord, have showed me, and I have known: then you showed me their doings. And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim; and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: ‘Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.’ But you, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judges justly and tries the reins of the heart, let me see your revenge on them, for to you I have revealed my cause, O Lord, my God!”
Thanks be to God.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Again, we have the plaintive words of Jeremias: he gives us the very words used by his enemies when they conspired his death. It is evident, however, that the Prophet is here a figure of one greater than himself. Let us, say these enemies, put wood on his bread: that is, let us put poisonous wood into what he eats, that so we may cause his death. This is the literal sense of these words, as applied to the Prophet ; but how much more truly were they fulfilled in our Redeemer! He tells us that His Divine Flesh is the True Bread that came down from heaven. This Bread, this Body of the Man-God, is bruised, torn, and wounded. The Jews nail it to the Wood so that, it is, in a manner, made one with the Wood, and the Wood is all covered with Jesus’ Blood. This Lamb of God was immolated on the Wood of the Cross: it is by His immolation that we have had given to us a sacrifice which is worthy of God, and it is by this sacrifice that we participate in the Bread of Heaven, the Flesh of the Lamb, our true Pasch.
Gospel – The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Mark (xiv‒xv)
At that time the Feast of the Pasch and of Azymes was after two days, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hold on Jesus, and kill Him. But they said: “Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people.”
And when Jesus was in Bethany, 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 on His head. Now there were some that had indignation within themselves and said: “Why was this waste of the ointment made? For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor.” And they murmured against her. But Jesus said: “Let her alone, why do you molest her? She has wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you, and whenever you will, you may do them good. But me you have not always. What she had, she has done. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for the burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel will be preached in the whole world, that also which she has done will be told for a memorial of her.”
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray Him to them. Who hearing it were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Pasch, the disciples said to Him: “Where will you that we go and prepare for you to eat the Pasch?” And He sent two of His disciples and said to them: “Go into the city, and there will meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house: ‘The Master says: Where is my refectory, that I may eat the Pasch with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large dining room furnished. And there prepare for us.” And His disciples went their way and came into the city, and they found as He had told them, and they prepared the Pasch.
And when evening was come, He came with the twelve. And when they were at table eating, Jesus said: “Amen I say to you, one of you that eats with me will betray me.” But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one: Is it I? Who said to them: “One of the twelve who dips his hand in the dish with me. And the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man will be betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not been born.” And while they were eating, Jesus took bread: and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: “Take, this is my body.” And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank of it and He said to them: “This is my blood of the new testament, which will be shed for many. Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I will drink it new in the kingdom of God.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them: “You will all be scandalised in my regard this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.’ But after I will be risen again, I will go before yon into Galilee.” But Peter said to Him: “Although all will be scandalised in you, yet not I.” And Jesus said to him “Amen I say to you, today, even in this night before the cock crow twice, you will deny me thrice.” But he spoke the more vehemently: “Although I should die together with you, I will not deny you.” And in like manner also said they all. And they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And He said to His disciples: “Sit here while I pray.” And He took Peter and James and John with Him. And He began to fear and to be heavy. And he said to them: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here, and watch.” And when He had gone forward a little, He fell flat on the ground and prayed that, if it might be, the hour might pass from Him: and He said: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you, remove this chalice from me. But not what I will, but what you will.” And He came and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter: “Simon, you sleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And going away again He prayed, saying the same words. And when He returned He found them again asleep (for their eyes were heavy), and they knew not what to answer Him. And He came the third time and said to them: “Sleep now, and take your rest. It is enough, the hour is come. Behold the Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Behold he that will betray me is at hand.”
And while he was yet speaking, came 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. And he that betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying: “Whoever I will kiss, that is he, lay hold on him, and lead him away carefully.” And when he was come, immediately going up to Him, he said: “Hail Rabbi!” And he kissed Him. But they laid hands on Him, and held Him. And one of them that stood by, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus answering, said to them: “Are you come out as to a robber with swords and staves to apprehend me? I was daily with you in tho temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on me.” But, that the scripture may be fulfilled. Then His disciples leaving Him, all fled away. And a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body, and they laid hold on him. But he casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked.
And they brought Jesus to the High Priest, and all the priests and the scribes and the ancients were assembled together. And Peter followed Him afar off even into the court of the High Priest, and he sat with the servants at the fire and warmed himself. And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus that they might put Him to death, and they found none. For many bore false witness against Him, and their evidences were not agreeing. And some rising up, bore false witness against Him, saying: “We heard him say: ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands.’” And their witness did not agree. And the High Priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying: “Answer you nothing to the things that are laid to your charge by these men?” But He held his peace and answered nothing. Again the High Priest asked Him, and said to him: “Are you Christ the Son of the Blessed God?” and Jesus said to him: “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Then the High Priest rending his garments said: “What need we any further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What think you?” Who all condemned Him to be guilty of death. 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 struck Him with the palms of their hands.
Now when Peter was in the court below, there came to him one of the maid servants of the High Priest. And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him, she said:”You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.” But he denied, saying:” I neither know nor understand what you say.” And he went forth before the court, and the cock crew. And again a maid servant seeing him, began to say to the standers-by: “This is one of them.” But he denied again. And after a while, they that stood by said again to Peter: “Surely you are one of them, for you also are a Galilean.” But he began to curse and swear, saying: “I know not this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him: “ Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me thrice.” And he began to weep.
And straight away in the morning the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes, and the whole council, binding Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. And Pilate asked Him: “Are you the king of the Jews?” But He answering, said to him: “You say it.” And the chief priests accused Him in many things. And Pilate again asked Him, saying: “Answer you nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse you.” But Jesus still answered nothing so that Pilate wondered.
Now on the festival day he was wont to release to them one of the prisoners, whoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas who was put in prison with some seditious men who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do as he had ever done to them. And Pilate answered them, and said: “Will you that I release to you the King of the Jews?” For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him up out of envy. But the chief priests moved the people that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, said to them: “What will you then that I do with the King of the Jews?” But they again cried out: “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them: “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out the more: “Crucify him.” And Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
And the soldiers led Him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band, and they clothed Him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him. And they began to salute Him: “Hail, king of the Jews.” And they struck his Head with a reed, and they did spit on Him, and bowing their knees, they adored Him. And after they had mocked Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His own garments on Him, and they led Him out to crucify Him. And they forced one Simon, a Cyrenean, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up His cross. And they brought Him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary. And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, but He took it not. And crucifying Him, they divided His garments casting lots for them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. And the inscription of His cause was written over, The King of the Jews. And with Him they crucified two thieves, the one on His right hand and the other on His left. And the scripture was fulfilled which says: “And with the wicked he was reputed.” And they that passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, and saying: “You that destroy the Temple of God, and in three days build it up again, save yourself, coming down from the cross.” In like manner also the chief priests with the scribes mocking, said one to another: “He saved others, himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel come down from the cross that we may see and believe.” And they that were crucified with Him reviled Him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour, and at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: “Eloi, Eloi, lamma Sabacthani?” which is, being interpreted: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the standers-by hearing, said: “Behold, he calls Elias.” And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave Him to drink, saying: “Stay, let us see if Elias will come to take him down.” And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost.
And the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the centurion who stood over against Him, seeing that crying out in this manner he gave up the ghost, said: “Indeed this man was the Son of God.” And there were also women looking on afar off, among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less, and of Joseph, and Salome, who also when He was in Galilee followed Him, and ministered to Him, and many other women came up with Him to Jerusalem.
And when the evening was now come (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the Sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that He should be already dead, and sending for the centurion, he asked him if He were already dead. And when he had understood it by the centurion, He gave the body to Joseph. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen and laid Him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre.
