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| Judas Goes to the Chief Priests |
LESSON
(Isai. LXII, II., to LXIII. 1-7.) Thus said the Lord God: Tell
the daughter of Sion: Behold thy Saviour cometh: behold his reward is
with him. Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from
Bosra, this beautiful one in his robe, walking in the greatness of
his strength. I, that speak justice, and am a defender to save. Why
then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like theirs that tread in
the wine-press? I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the
Gentiles there is not a man with me: I have trampled on them in my
indignation, and have trodden them down in my wrath, and their blood
is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my apparel. For
the day of vengeance is in my heart, the year of my redemption is
come. I looked about and there was none to help: I sought, and there
was none to give aid: and my own arm hath saved from me, and my
indignation itself hath helped me. And I have trodden down the people
in my wrath, and have made them drunk in my indignation, and have
brought down their strength to the earth. I will remember the tender
mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things that
the Lord hath bestowed on us.
EXPLANATION Once more the prophet's words point to the Saviour, and describe His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, where He went to accomplish the work of redemption, which He had always in His heart and before His eyes; he refers to His victories over all His enemies, the world, and the devil, whom He had trampled on and destroyed as the wine-presser does the grapes. The day of Christ's death was also the day of vengeance on His enemies, whom He overcame on the cross. The prophet who foresaw all this, thanks God in the last words of this lesson, and we also are called upon to thank Christ for our Redemption.
THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE, CHAP. XXII. AND XXIII.
At
that time, The feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Pasch,
was at hand. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they
might put Jesus to death; but they feared the people. And Satan
entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve; and
he went, and discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates,
how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and covenanted
to give him money. And he promised; and he sought opportunity to
betray him in the absence of the multitude. And the day of the
unleavened bread came, on which it was necessary that the Pasch
should be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying: Go and prepare
for us the Pasch, that we may eat. But they said: Where wilt thou
that we prepare? And he said to them: Behold, as you go into the
city, there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow
him into the house where he entereth in, and you shall say to the
good man of the house: The master saith to thee: Where is the
guest-chamber, where I may eat the Pasch with my disciples? And he
will show you a large dining-room furnished; and there prepare. And
they going, found as he had said to them, and made ready the Pasch.
And when the hour was come, he pat down, and the twelve apostles with
him. And he said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this
Pasch with you before I suffer. For I say to you, that from this time
I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And
having taken the chalice he gave thanks, and said: Take and divide it
among you. For I say to you that I will not drink of the fruit of the
vine, till the kingdom of God come. And taking bread, he gave thanks,
and brake, and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given
for you: do this for a commemoration of me. In like manner the
chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the
new testament of my blood, which shall be shed for you. But yet
behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
And the Son of man, indeed goeth, according to that which is
determined; but yet woe to that man by whom he shall be betrayed. And
they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that
should do this thing. And there was also a strife amongst them, which
of them should seem to be greater. And he said to them: The kings of
the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that have power over them,
are called beneficent. But you not so; but he that is the greater
among you, lethim become as the younger; and he that is the leader,
as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table,
or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? but I am in the
midst of you, as he that serveth; and you are they who have continued
with me in my temptations. And I dispose to you, as my Father hath
disposed to me, a kingdom: that you may eat and drink at my table in
my kingdom; and may sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. And the Lord said: Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to
have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee
that thy faith fail not: and thou being once converted, confirm thy
brethren. Who said to him: Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both
into prison and to death. And he said: I say to thee, Peter, the cock
shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deniest that thou knowest
me. And he said to them: When I sent you without purse, and scrip,
and shoes, did you want anything? But they said: Nothing. Then said
he unto them: But now he that hath a purse, let him take .it, and
likewise a scrip; and he that hath not, let him sell his coat and buy
a sword. For I say to you, that this that is written must yet be
fulfilled in me: And he was reckoned among the wicked: for the things
concerning me have an end. But they said: Lord, behold here are two
swords And he said to them: It is enough. And going out he went
according to his custom to the Mount of Olives. And his disciples
also followed him. And when he was come to the place, he said to
them: Pray, lest ye enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn away
from them a stone's cast; and kneeling down he prayed, saying:
Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me; but yet not my
will, but thine be done. And there appeared to him an angel from
heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the
longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon
the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his
disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said to them:
Why sleep you? Arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation. As he was
yet speaking, behold a multitude; and he that was called Judas, one
of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus to kiss him.
And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with a
kiss? And they that were about him, seeing what would follow, said to
him: Lord, shall we strike with the sword? And one of them struck the
servant of the high-priest, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus
answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when he had touched his ear,
he healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests and the
magistrates of the temple, and the ancients that were come unto him:
Are you come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs?
When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth
your hands against me; but this is your hour, and the power of
darkness. And apprehending him, they led him to the high-priest's
house; but Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire
in the midst of the hall, and were sitting about it, Peter was in the
midst of them. Whom when a certain servant maid had seen him sitting
at the light, and had earnestly beheld him, she said: This man also
was with him. But he denied, saying: Woman, I know him not. And after
a little while, another seeing him, said: Thou also art one of them.
But Peter said: O man, I am not. And after the space as it were of
one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: Of a truth this man
was also with him; for he is also a Galilean. And Peter said: Man, I
know not what thou sayest. And immediately, as he was yet speaking,
the cock crew. And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter
remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: Before the cock
crow, thou shaft deny me thrice. And Peter going out wept bitterly.
And the men that held him, mocked him, and struck him. And they
blind-folded him, and smote him on the face. And they asked him,
saying: Prophesy, who is it that struck thee? And many other things
blaspheming, they said against him. And as soon as it was day, the
ancients of the people, and the chief priests, and scribes, came
together, and they brought him into their council, saying: If thou be
the Christ, tell us. And he said to them: If I shall tell you, you
will not believe met and if I shall also ask you, you will not
answer, me, nor let me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be
sitting on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all:
Art thou then the Son of God? Who said: You say that I am. And they
said: What need we any further testimony? For we ourselves have heard
it from his own mouth. (Chap. XXIII.) And the whole multitude of them
rising up, led him to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying:
We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give
tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ the king. And Pilate
asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering,
said: Thou sayest it. And Pilate said to the chief priests and to the
multitudes: I find no cause in this man. But they were more earnest,
saying: He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea,
beginning from Galilee to this place. But Pilate hearing Galilee,
asked if the man were of Galilee? And when he understood that he was
of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who himself was
also at Jerusalem in those days. And Herod seeing Jesus was very
glad, for he was desirous of a long time to see him, because he had
heard many things of him: and he hoped to see some sign wrought by
him. And he questioned him with many words. But he answered him
nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood by, earnestly
accusing him. And Herod with his army set him at nought, and mocked
him, putting on him a white garment, and sent him back to Pilate. And
Herod and Pilate were made friends that same day: for before they
were enemies one to another. Then Pilate calling together the chief
priests, and the magistrates, and the people, said to them: You have
brought this man to me as one that perverteth the people, and behold
I, having examined him before you, find no cause in this man touching
those things wherein you accuse him. No, nor Herod neither. For I
sent you to him, and behold nothing worthy of death is done to him. I
will chastise him, therefore, and release him. Now of necessity he
was to release unto them one upon the feast day. But the whole
multitude together cried out at once, saying: Away with this man, and
release unto us Barabbas, who for a certain sedition made in the
city, and for a murder, was cast into prison. And Pilate again spoke
to them, desiring to release Jesus. But they cried out again, saying:
Crucify him, crucify him. And he said to them the third time: Why,
what evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him. I will
chastise him therefore, and let him go. But they were instant with
loud voices requiring that he might be crucified; and their voices
prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they
required. And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition
had been cast into prison, whom they had desired: but Jesus he
delivered up to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold
of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the
cross on him to carry after Jesus. And there followed him a great
multitude of people and of women, who bewailed, and lamented him. ,
But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not
over me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold
the days shall came, wherein they will say, Blessed are the barren,
and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given
suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us;
and to the hills, Cover us. For if in the green wood, they do these
things, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other
malefactors led with him, to be put to death. And when they were come
to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there; and
the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And
Jesus said: Father, forgive them, far they know not what they do. But
they dividing his garments cast lots. And the people stood beholding,
and the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others, let
him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers
also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying:
If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And there was also a
superscription written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin and
Hebrew: This is the King of the Jews. And one of those robbers who
were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself
and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: neither dost
thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation. And we
indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this
man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when
thou shalt come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen, I say
to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. And it was
almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth
until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened; and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst. And Jesus crying out with a loud voice,
said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he
gave up the ghost. (Here all kneel and pause.) Now the centurion
seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just
man. And all the multitude of them that were come together to that
sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their
breast. And all his acquaintance,and the women that had followed him
from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. And behold
there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and a just
man, (the same had not consented to their counsel and doings,) of
Arimathea, a city of Judea, who also himself looked for the kingdom
of God. This man went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And
taking him down he wrapped him in fine linen, and laid him in a
sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been
laid.
– Goffine's
Devout Instructions
