Category: Holy Scripture

“Six days before Passover #Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for Him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair. …

The large crowd of the Jews found out that He was there and came,
not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom He had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.”

“… From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’
which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ …
* * * Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,
and gave up His Spirit.

[Here all kneel and pause for a short time.]

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming forth from their tombs after His Resurrection,
they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,
‘Truly, this was the Son of God!’
There were many women there, looking on from a distance,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph,
and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. …”

“R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. …”