Matthew 26:14-27:66 Palm Sunday Reading
(Altar has only the frontal and fair linen and a corporal. Nothing else is on the altar at the beginning of this reading.)
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Narrator: One of the twelve who was called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests.
Judas: What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?
Narrator: They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
(Acolyte puts coins on the altar.)
Narrator: On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus.
Disciples: Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
Jesus: Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’
Narrator: So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
Narrator: When it was evening, Jesus took his place with the twelve and they were eating.
Jesus: Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.
Narrator: The disciples became greatly distressed and began to say to him, one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Jesus: The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.
Judas: Surely not I, Rabbi?
Jesus: You have said so.
Narrator: While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to his disciples.
Jesus: Take, eat, this is my body.
Narrator: Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them.
Jesus: Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the Father’s kingdom.
(Acolyte puts bread and wine on the altar.)
Narrator: When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus: You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
Peter: Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.
Jesus: Truly I tell you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.
Peter: Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.
Narrator: And so said all of the disciples.
Narrator: Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane.
Jesus: Sit here while I go over there and pray.
Narrator: He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.
Jesus: I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.
Narrator: And going a little father, he threw himself on the ground and prayed.
Jesus: If it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.
Narrator: Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.
Jesus: “Peter, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Narrator: Again he went away for the second time and prayed.
Jesus: My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.
Narrator: Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.
Jesus: My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.
Narrator: Then Jesus came to the disciples.
Jesus: Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.
Narrator: While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once, Judas came up to Jesus.
Judas: Greetings, Rabbi.
Narrator: Judas kissed Jesus.
Jesus: Friend, do what you are here to do.
Narrator: Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
(Acolyte puts sword on the altar.)
(Pause here until sword is in place.)
Jesus: Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels: But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?
Narrator: And then Jesus spoke to the crowds.
Jesus: Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.
Narrator: Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Narrator: Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none; though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward with these words.
False witnesses: This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’
Narrator: The high priest stood up.
High priest: Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?
Narrator: Jesus was silent.
High priest: I put you under oath before the living God; tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus: You have said so. But I tell you, From now on, you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.
Narrator: Then the high priest tore his clothes.
High priest: He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?
False witnesses: He deserves death.
Narrator: Then they spat in his face and struck him. Some slapped him.
False witnesses: Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?
Narrator: Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came to him.
First servant girl: You also were with Jesus the Galilean.
Narrator: But Peter denied this before all of them.
Peter: I do not know what you are talking about.
Narrator: When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him. She said this to the bystanders.
Second servant girl: This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator: Again, Peter denied this with an oath.
Peter: I do not know the man.
Narrator: After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you. Then Peter began to curse and swore an oath.
Peter: I do not know the man!
Narrator: At that moment the cock crowed. And Peter remembered what Jesus had said: ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.
Narrator: When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
Narrator: When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.
Judas: I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.
High priest: What is that to us? See to it yourself.
Narrator: Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself.
High priest: It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.
Narrator: After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, “And they took thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Narrator: Now Jesus stood before the governor.
Pilate: Are you the King of the Jews?
Jesus: You say so.
Narrator: But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer.
Pilate: Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?
Narrator: But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
Narrator: Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas.
Pilate: Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?
Narrator: Now Pilate realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus Killed.
Pilate: Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
Narrator: And they said, “Barabbas.”
Pilate: Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?
Narrator: All of them said, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate: Why, what evil has he done?
Narrator: But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Narrator: So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd.
Pilate: I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.
(Acolyte places a bowl of water and a towel on the altar.)
Narrator: Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” So Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Narrator: Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head.
(Acolyte places a scarlet robe and crown on the altar.)
Narrator: They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.” They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to be crucified.
Narrator: As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.
(Acolyte places cross on the altar.)
Narrator: And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Narrator: Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads.
False witnesses: “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
Narrator: In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him.
High priest: He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, I am God’s Son.
Narrator: The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
Narrator: From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice.
Jesus: Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Narrator: When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”
Narrator: Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. (Silence)
Narrator: At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son.”
Narrator: Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock.
(Acolyte covers everything on the altar with the fair linen—except for the cross.)
Narrator: He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
(Acolyte places stone on the altar.)
Narrator: The next day, after the day of Preparation, the chief priest and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate.
High priest: Sir, we remember what that imposter said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.
Pilate: You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.
Narrator: So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
Silence
The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.